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Oregon Road Conditions & Cams Email Story to a Friend June 23, 2005 SOU hauls in strong recruiting class ASHLAND — After coming within an eyelash of reaching the national semifinals last season, Southern Oregon University men’s basketball coach Brian McDermott hopes his latest recruiting class will push the Raider program to even greater accomplishments in 2005-06. The 10th-year head coach announced the addition of four Oregon-reared high school standouts and three college transfers to SOU’s already talented roster that contains two-time NAIA All-American power forward Shea Washington and six other returning letterwinners from last year’s record-setting Cascade Conference championship team. The newcomers are: Matt Espinoza of Salem’s McNary High via Southwestern Oregon Community College. The 6-foot-4 regional junior college all-star and 3-point sharpshooter averaged 17 points per game as a sophomore and earned scholar-athlete accolades based on a 3.81 grade point average. "Matt is a perimeter shooter with big-time range," McDermott said. "He’s a tremendous worker whose presence will make it difficult for teams to double-team our inside players." Advertisement Erion [pronounced "Aaron"] Moore II, a 6-foot-6, 200-pound forward from Foothill Community College in Los Altos Hills, Calif. The first- team Coast Conference all-star led the league in blocked shots (three per game) while averaging a double-double of 14 points and 12 rebounds. "Erion gives us a solid third post player who can rebound and block shots as well as anyone in our league," McDermott said. "He’ll definitely be an exciting player to watch." Josh McDermott, a versatile 6-foot-5 forward from Ashland High. The eldest of Brian McDermott’s two children averaged 11 points last season and earned Southern Oregon Conference all-defensive accolades while helping the Grizzlies to the school’s first state playoff berth since 1991. The addition of "Little Mac," an academic award-winner and an honorable mention conference all-star, creates the fourth father-son tandem in Cascade Conference men’s basketball history. He joins current Albertson College guard Josh Owen (the son of coach Mark Owen) on the list. "Josh definitely has his best basketball in front of him," Brian McDermott said. "He’s a very smart player who can play just about anywhere on the court. If he gains some strength this summer, he’ll be able to help us (SOU) immediately." JR Morgan and Brian Williams from Midwestern League champion South Eugene High. Morgan, a first-team all-star point guard, and Williams, a 6-foot-4 wing, helped the Axemen place eighth in the state with a 22-7 overall record. "JR has been one of the top point guards in the state for the past two seasons and he has great quickness and ball skills," McDermott said. "Brian has good range and can play multiple positions, and he could be the type of defensive stopper that we’ve had at the wing positions." Brett Ellis, a former Phoenix High all-star guard who competed at Pacific University last season. The second-team Class 3A all-state selection averaged 15 points, five assists and four rebounds as a senior under the guidance of former Raider assistant and current Pirate head coach Kevin Dixon. Ellis saw action in 23 games for the NCAA Div. III Boxers last season. "Brett is an exceptional passer who can get to the basket and find the open man," McDermott said. "He gives us depth and experience at the point." Gus Haugen, a 5-foot-10 guard from Mountain View High in Bend. The first-team all-Intermountain Conference pick helped the Cougars win the league title by compiling an 11-point scoring average. "Gus is a combination guard," McDermott said, "who can run a team but is capable of posting some big offensive numbers." Southern Oregon returns four starters from last year’s 22-10 team that ranked as high as No. 6 nationally, captured the school’s second conference regular-season and post-season tournament championships since 1998-99 and made an exciting dash to the NAIA Div. II Elite Eight. "Based on what our program has accomplished the past couple of years, there’s no question expectations are very high (for 2005-06)," McDermott said. "I feel confident that we’ve addressed our needs to the extent that we can be a top team from the top [NAIA basketball] conference once again." The Raiders open the season Nov. 4-5 at the Oregon Tech Invitational in Klamath Falls. Mail Tribune Home | Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life | Opinion AP News | Archives | Site Map | Community | Classified Copyright © 1997-2005 Mail Tribune, Inc. All rights reserved. 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