CORVALLIS, Ore. – The 2022-23 Cascade Collegiate Conference Men’s Basketball postseason awards were announced Tuesday by the conference office.
Rize Laboratory Player of the Year –
Phillip Malatare led Eastern Oregon University to a successful season. The senior guard from Arlee, Mont., drained a total of 438 points this conference season, averaging 19.9 points a game to lead the CCC in scoring. In the conference, he is in the top 10 for rebounds, field goals, steals, and 3-pointers. He tallied 63 assists and shot 81.5 percent from the free-throw line. The Mountaineers were second in the CCC with a 16-6 record, were runners-up in the postseason tournament, and secured a spot in the upcoming NAIA National Tournament. This year's award follows Malatare's 2021-22 Newcomer of the Year recognition.
Newcomer of the Year –
Spencer Hoffman transferred to Bushnell University from Colorado Christian University and immediately became a key player in the Beacon’s lineup. The junior center from Eugene, Ore., sits in the 5th spot for conference scorers, averaging 16.3 points a game. He is second in field goal shooting percentage, and defensive rebounds averaging 61.1 percent and 6.5 respectively. Hoffman is third in overall rebounding with a total of 189, and in minutes played, averaging 33 a game. He also received CCC and NAIA Player of the Week honors this season.
Defensive Player of the Year –
Charles Elzie helped lead the College of Idaho to an undefeated conference season while claiming the regular season and conference tournament championship. The junior guard from Tacoma, Wash., leads the Coyotes with a total of 29 steals. Elzie helped COI to take over the CCC in defense for the second consecutive season, only allowing an average of 63.4 points per game. The NAIA's No. 1 ranked Yotes also secured a host bid to one of the first and second-round four-team pods. Teams traveling to Caldwell will be announced Thursday.
Freshman of the Year –
John Lustig jumped right in with Lewis-Clark State College in his first year of play. The guard from Colfax, Wash., was second in the lineup for scoring and 11th in the conference, averaging 14.4 points per game. He also drained a total of 40 3-pointers and led the Warriors in free throws, shooting 85.1 percent and he is just getting started.
Coach of the Year – The College of Idaho’s
Colby Blaine is leading the current longest college basketball win streak at 30 in a row. Under the guidance of Blaine, the Yotes have had an incredible season thus far with the utilization of the entire roster and an obvious motto of unselfish play. This is the third consecutive year Coach Blaine has won the award.
Team Sportsmanship- Oregon Tech
The full list of the 2022-23 CCC All-Conference team can be found
here.