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- Subscribe - Contact Us - Rate Card - Place an Ad Archives Revels Classifieds Real Estate Menu Guide Wedding Weather Subscribe Contact Us June 3, 2006 McDermott finalizes recruiting class SOU men’s hoops coach pleased with incoming talent By Rich Rosenthal For the Tidings After racking up 64 wins during the three-year Shea Washington era of the Southern Oregon University men’s basketball program, head coach Brian McDermott hopes his latest recruiting class will help the Raiders reload in 2006-07. McDermott’s six newest players are: Daveon Fleming of College of the Siskiyous; Trenton Fraser of Bandon High; Chuckie Ivey of Coppin State University; Jason Nunnemaker of Grants Pass High; Chris Rodriguez of College of the Siskiyous; and Eric Thompson of Roseburg High. Ivey, a 6-foot-2, 170-pound point guard, played in 14 games and started four at NCAA Division I Coppin State in Baltimore, Md., last season as a true freshman. As a high school senior, he averaged 15 points and five assists at Maine Central Institute, a prominent prep school that produced future NBA players Brad Miller, Sam Cassell, Cutino Mobley and Caron Butler. Ivey, a perennial honor roll student, also averaged 22 points as an all-star junior at Chantilly High near his hometown of Fairfax, Va. “Chuckie is fast — he has a different gear than what we’re used to seeing at this level,” McDermott said. “I’m most impressed with the combination of strength and quickness that allows him to stay in front of people. He’ll be able to guard the very talented point guards in our league, which says a lot about his ability.” Thompson, one of Nunnemaker’s teammates on the State vs. Metro all-star game roster, finished second among Class 4A performers and set a school record for scoring average (26.2) as a Roseburg High senior. The 6-7, 215-pound post also averaged 11.3 rebounds, shot 58 percent from the field and 86 percent from the free throw line. Thompson received first-team Southern Oregon Conference all-star status in basketball and as a pitcher on the Indian baseball team. “Eric can score many different ways, from anywhere,” McDermott said. “(Longtime Grants Pass coach) Bill Cowell said that Eric was the best offensive player he’s ever coached against, and that includes Shea Washington.” Nunnemaker, a 6-6, 215-pound forward, received first-team Southern Oregon Conference billing the past two seasons at Grants Pass High. The honor student helped the Cavemen advance to the round of 16 in the Class 4A state playoffs three consecutive seasons, and the aspiring teacher will play in the State vs. Metro all-star game on June 15. “Jason has the type of frame that makes him more of a traditional low-post player than Thompson,” McDermott said. “He is a very good defender, and he has a nice shooting touch.” Fraser, a 5-11 point guard, is one of Bandon High’s most accomplished basketball standouts ever. The four-year varsity starter and three-year Big Fir League all-star garnered conference player-of-the-year honors after averaging 22 points, five assists and three steals as a junior in 2004-05. As a senior, Fraser was a first-team all-state selection and a first-team all-tournament performer after leading the Tigers to a third-place Class 2A finish. “He’s very fast with the ball and is a creative player,” McDermott said. “He loves getting to the basket, and people will like his style.” Fleming and Rodriguez were key members of the College of the Siskiyous squad that won 12 consecutive games and achieved the school’s first-ever California junior college No. 1 ranking last December. Fleming, a 6-2, 165-pound wing from Compton, Calif., averaged 10 points during his two-year Eagle career, and he gained Golden Valley Conference scholar-athlete status both seasons. As a prep, he averaged a whopping 35 points per game as a senior at Southwest Middle College High School in Los Angeles. “Daveon runs very well and he’s excellent in the open court,” McDermott said. “He can really get it going shooting (the 3-pointer).” Rodriguez is a 6-4, 230-pound power forward/post from Pacifica, Calif. “Chris gives us a lot of flexibility,” McDermott said. “He’s what I call a point-forward because he can handle some of the ball-handling duties while also having a presence inside the paint.” The newcomers augment six returning players from last year’s 23-8 Raider team that earned the school’s first No. 1 NAIA Division II ranking and qualified for the national tournament for the second consecutive season. “It was a daunting challenge to replace six key players, and we’ve succeeded as well as we could hope,” McDermott said. “We’ve gotten a mix of young and experienced players. Overall, we’re more athletic, and we’ll be able to play more of an up-tempo style.” DailyTidings.com Home Page Archives | Revels | Classifieds | Real Estate Guide | Weather | Subscribe | Contact Us Copyright 2005 Ashland Daily Tidings and Ottaway Newspapers All Rights Reserved Ceramic Piggy Banks Women's & Men's Slippers Accelerate Weightloss Products Backpacks Mailing Lists Custom Made Computers Vegas Travel Guide Search Engine Optimization Student Loans Hammocks Water Filter Helzberg Diamonds Online Casinos Community Bonus Casino Mortgage Calculator Security Systems Click Here Advertisement .:Advertisements:. Site Search: RESOURCES - Mail Tribune News - ODOT Road Cams