College of Idaho Men's Basketball Preview
CALDWELL, Idaho - Optimism is abound for The College of Idaho men’s basketball program this season, as the Yotes look to put just their third losing season in the last 28 years behind them. With a pair of returning All-Conference players on their squad, along with a outstanding junior college recruiting class, the Coyotes look to once again join the elite squads in the Cascade Conference – and make a run toward their sixth NAIA Division II national tournament appearance in the last nine seasons.
LAST SEASON/PLAYERS LOST: The 2007-08 was a tough season for the Coyotes, from the stand-point that a 13-18 record could have been a 21-10 mark – as The C of I lost eight games in which they were within a possession of the lead within the final three minutes, including three games by just one point. The Yotes had the lead late on two occasions against Oregon Tech, Eastern Oregon, and Westminster – all national tournament teams, and claimed a victory over Evergreen State, which played in the CCC title game. Five players were lost from the club – including two seniors, one being All-CC and honorable mention NAIA All-American Josh Owen, who led the team with a 17 point per game average and 90 three-point baskets. The Yotes will also need to fill the void of forward J.R. Maggard, who averaged 11 points and seven rebounds during conference play last season. Three underclassmen reserves left the program following the season – Anton Coleman transferred to Dickinson State, Andy Maxwell transferred to Columbia Basin CC, and Donnel Garner, who transferred to Scottsdale CC. The Coyotes will also be without one of their top recruits, Londale Theus (Los Angeles, Calif. /New Mexico State), who will use a medical redshirt due to an injury sustained during the offseason. Overall, the Yotes will return nine of the 14 members of last season’s team, including 65-percent of their scoring punch.
POSITION BY POSITION – POINT GUARD: One of the things that ninth-year head coach Mark Owen looked for in the recruiting process was a true point-guard – with junior college transfer Kelvin Potts (Oakland, Calif. / Chabot CC) filling the role. Potts, who was the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Freshman of the Year at Clark-Atlanta College, then earned All-Coast Conference honors last year at Chabot CC, where he averaged six assists per game. Another newcomer, Duncan Koga (Caldwell, Idaho / Caldwell HS), will be one of the options off the bench – after earning All-Southern Idaho Conference honors at Caldwell High. Two returners, senior Calen Blessinger (Blackfoot, Idaho / Columbia Basin CC) – who saw action in 26 games last year, and sophomore Kyle Redman (Declo, Idaho / Declo HS), who played in ten games as a freshman.
POSITION BY POSITION – SHOOTING GUARD/WING: The Coyotes have multiple options at their off-guard positions, led by two-time CCC Defensive Player of the Year, Bryan Champ (Boise, Idaho / Borah HS), The senior, who was named to the 15-player Preseason All-CCC Team, is coming off his best season of his career, averaging 12 points, five rebounds, and three assists per game, while leading the NAIA Division II in steals with 100. Also back for the Yotes is Steffen Spinks (Manteca, Calif. / East Union HS), who has started 28 games over the past two seasons. The junior averaged ten points and three rebounds per game last season in over 28 minutes per game. Three others look to make an immediate impact – two junior college recruits and a redshirt freshman. Jordan Stokes (Las Vegas, Nev. / Lassen CC) is coming off a fabulous sophomore season at Lassen CC for former C of I guard Ben Riley – averaging 22 points a night, earning CCCAA All-State honors. Stokes has tremendous leaping ability and will be an immediate impact player. Providing spark from outside the arc is Brian Bergerson (Modesto, Calif. / Modesto CC), who will provide mismatch problems with his 6-6 frame on the outside. Bergerson averaged 16 points a game at Modesto CC last year, connecting on 46-percent of his three-point attempts. After missing all of last season due to injury, Terriel Thomas (Boise, Idaho / Borah HS) will make his C of I debut – an athletic player who can excel at both ends of the floor. Rounding out the group is Jordan Taylor (Emmett, Idaho / Emmett HS), who will be a reserve guard this season.
POSITION BY POSITION – ON THE BLOCK: The Yotes are excited to get Craig McGee (Boise, Idaho / Centennial HS) for two more years, after the 6-8 junior received a medical redshirt after a hand injury early last season. McGee averaged over 15 points a game, making 68-percent of his field goals during his limited time last year, good enough to draw the attention of the CCC coaches, who named him to the Preseason All-CCC Team. Two other four-year members of the program return – Kurt Nielson (Rexburg, Idaho / Eastern Utah CC) and Ryan Sinfield (Redwood City, Calif. / St. Francis HS). The 6-5 Nielson has played in 87 games during his career, starting 42, and is coming off his best season, averaging eight points and five rebounds per night. Sinfield looks to be the surprise during his senior season, coming into fall camp in outstanding shape and will use his 6-7 body to bang in the paint. Rounding out the posts is 6-7 junior college transfer Jabari McIntosh (Union City, Calif. / West Valley CC), who averaged eight points and six rebounds per game, while knocking home 50-percent of his field goal attempts at West Valley CC last year.
PRESEASON NATIONAL POLL: The C of I earned one vote in the 2008-09 NAIA Division II Preseason Top-25 Coaches Poll, released Oct. 27 by the national office in Kansas City, Mo. For the Coyotes, coming off a 13-18 season, it marks the 16th-straight season that the team has earned a vote in the poll. They had a streak of 15-straight years of Top-25 appearances ended last season. Four other CCC teams were in the Top-25 - No. 1 Oregon Tech, No. 6 Eastern Oregon, No. 20 Evergreen State, and No. 24 Warner Pacific, while three other opponents - No. 13 Westminster and No. 22 Lewis-Clark State in the NAIA Division I poll, and Menlo, receiving votes in the NAIA Division II poll, were among the elite teams.
CASCADE CONFERENCE COACHES POLL: The C of I was picked fifth out of 11 teams as the Cascade Conference coaches announced their 2008-09 Preseason Poll, released Oct. 15 by the league office in Portland, Ore. Defending NAIA Division II champions, Oregon Tech, claimed eight first-place votes to take the top spot, while 2007-08 CCC champion Eastern Oregon took the other three first-place votes and was second. Evergreen State and Warner Pacific were tied for third, just four voter points ahead of the Coyotes.
NON-CONFERENCE SCHEDULE: Year in and year out, the Coyotes play one of the more demanding preseason schedules in the entire NAIA Division II – and the 2008-09 season is no different, as of the 11 games, seven are against NAIA Division I teams, two against NAIA Division II teams, and one each against a NCAA Division II and III team. The season opens at the Quinn Classic in La Grande, Ore., with games against Frontier Conference squads Lewis-Clark State and Montana Tech. L-C (22-10 in 2007-08) has won back-to-back conference titles and boasts three D-I transfers, while Tech (6-23) looks to rebound after a six-win season. The Yotes return to the Treasure Valley for the United Heritage Tip-Off – the annual exhibition clash with Northwest Nazarene, picked fifth in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference, returning three starters from a 17-10 team. It’s then off for their annual trip to Las Vegas – meeting Golden State Athletic Conference clubs Fresno Pacific and Westmont. FPU went 19-12 last season, but must replace their top four scorers, while Westmont, which went 15-13 last year, was picked ninth in the GSAC preseason poll. The Yotes open their home schedule with the Duane Wolfe Memorial Golden Rule Shootout, as Willamette and Westminster return for a third-straight year. Willamette (11-15) returns three players who averaged ten or more points a game, while Westminster, coming off a 20-7 season – their sixth-straight 20-win campaign, returns four starters, including all-star Danny Stosich. Thanksgiving weekend will be spent in the Bay Area – traveling to Menlo and Holy Names. Menlo (18-10) is coming off an NAIA Tournament appearance and returns shooter Brandon Cochran and 6-11 post Chris Funke, with Holy Names (16-16) will look to 6-10 big man Richard Westphalm to help the squad in their quest for a third NAIA Tourney appearance in four years. The non-league slate closes with the Wendy’s Classic in Nampa, meeting San Diego Christian and Montana Western. SDCC (5-23) is coming off a five-win season and were picked tenth in the GSAC – and have to replace their top two scorers, while Western (10-19) looks to be an uptempo club, thanks to returning guards
CCC SCHEDULE: Each year, the Cascade Conference is one of the top NAIA Division II leagues in the nation, and this season is no different – as four teams were in the preseason Top-25. Defending national champion, Oregon Tech, did not even win the CCC title last year, but returns four starters from last season’s club – including guard Jguwon Hogges and post Josh Wetzler. Right at OIT’s heels is Eastern Oregon, the 2007-08 regular season champ, advancing to the NAIA Tournament second-round. Eastern returns point-guard Jeremy Templeton and post Paul Carollo – along with a high-profile recruiting class. Evergreen State is one of the more impressive teams in the loop, thanks to CCC Preseason Player of the Year, Nate Menefee. Coach Jeff Drinkwine returns nearly every player from last season that finished one win away from the NAIA title. Warner Pacific looks to retool this season – having lost five senior starters, but Bart Valentine had a tremendous recruiting class and will be in the mix. Watch out for Concordia and all-star guard Desmond Meray, Corban’s small forward Wade Douglas, Northwest’s big-man Greg George, while Southern Oregon looks to run-and-gun this season. Northwest Christian will also be improved in their second season in the league, while Cascade, which will close as an institution and the end of the year, looks to have one final memorable campaign.