Evergreen's Nate Menefee is the nation's fourth-leading returning scorer.
Evergreen's Menefee Named CCC Preseason Player of the Year
PORTLAND, Ore. – Evergreen’s Nate Menefee, a third-team All-American last season and the fourth-leading returning scorer at the NAIA Division II level, has been voted the 2008-09 Cascade Collegiate Conference Preseason Player of the Year in balloting by CCC coaches, the league office announced Monday.
Menefee, a 5-10 junior guard from Lacey, Wash., averaged 22.8 points and 3.4 assists per game last season in leading the Geoducks to an overall record of 21-8 and a runner-up showing in the CCC’s postseason tournament. It was Evergreen’s best showing since winning the CCC title in 2001-02.
Menefee was joined on the 15-person preseason all-league team by teammate Nick Moore. Moore, a senior forward who averaged 13.7 points and 5.9 rebounds per game in 2007-08, was last year’s CCC Newcomer of the Year.
Defending NAIA champion Oregon Tech led the way with four selections on the preseason all-conference team: senior posts Christian Cavanaugh (13.6 ppg, 6.1 rpg) and Josh Wetzler (9.8 ppg, 9.0 rpg), senior guard Jguwon Hogges (10.8 ppg, 2.9 apg) and junior transfer Justin Parnell. Parnell averaged 12.2 points and 4.2 rebounds per game last season at NCAA Division II Northwest Nazarene University. OIT was recently selected by CCC coaches as the preseason favorite to win the 2008-09 league title.
Eastern Oregon, which last year won the CCC regular season title and made its first-ever national postseason tournament appearance, had two players voted to the team – senior post Paul Carollo, who averaged 9.5 points and 8.4 rebounds per game, and senior wing Kris Groce, who averaged 10.8 points per game at Sacramento State in 2006-07.
College of Idaho and Concordia, who were picked 5-6 in the preseason coaches’ poll, also had two selections each. The Yotes were represented by senior guard Bryan Champ, last year’s league Defensive Player of the Year, and junior forward Craig McGee, who averaged better than 13 points per game in 2007-08. The Cavaliers were represented by senior guard Desmond Meray, who averaged 15 points per game last season, and Portland State transfer Alex Tiefenthaler, a 6-9, 230-pound forward/center.
Others selected to the team include Corban forward Wade Douglas, Northwest forward Greg George, and Warner Pacific forward Adam Moore. Moore was the CCC’s second-leading scorer (20.4 ppg) in 2006-07 while playing at Evergreen.
2008-09 CCC Preseason Men's Basketball All-Conference Team
| Name |
Institution |
Pos. |
Class |
PPG |
RPG* |
Hometown |
| Paul Carollo |
Eastern Oregon |
P |
Sr. |
9.5 |
8.4 |
Hermiston, OR |
| Christian Cavanaugh |
Oregon Tech |
P |
Sr. |
13.6 |
6.1 |
Mill Valley, CA |
| Bryan Champ |
College of Idaho |
G |
Sr. |
12.1 |
4.7 |
Boise, ID |
| Wade Douglas |
Corban |
F |
Sr. |
16.6 |
5.7 |
Ontario, OR |
| Greg George |
Northwest |
F |
So. |
14.0 |
7.5 |
Seattle, WA |
| +Kris Groce |
Eastern Oregon |
W |
Sr. |
10.8# |
2.1# |
Pasco, WA |
| Jguwon Hogges |
Oregon Tech |
G |
Sr. |
10.8 |
2.9* |
Atwater, CA |
| Craig McGee |
College of Idaho |
F |
Jr. |
13.4 |
3.0 |
Boise, ID |
| ^Nate Menefee |
Evergreen |
G |
Jr. |
22.8 |
3.4* |
Lacey, WA |
| Desmond Meray |
Concordia |
G |
Sr. |
15.0 |
1.3 |
Spanaway, WA |
| Adam Moore |
Warner Pacific |
F |
Sr. |
20.4# |
5.2# |
Everett, WA |
| Nick Moore |
Evergreen |
F |
Sr. |
13.7 |
5.9 |
Fircrest, WA |
| +Justin Parnell |
Oregon Tech |
G |
Jr. |
12.2 |
4.2 |
Sutherlin, OR |
| +Alex Tiefenthaler |
Concordia |
F/C |
Jr. |
3.3 |
1.7 |
Spanaway, WA |
| Josh Wetzler |
Oregon Tech |
P |
Sr. |
9.8 |
9.0 |
Perth Australia |
| ^indicates Preseason Player of the Year; +indicates 2008-09 CCC newcomer; *indicates assists per game; statistics from 2007-08; #2006-07 statistics |
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