Mountain View grad quickly adjusts to college basketball
Thursday, February 21, 2008
By SOMER BREEZE, Columbian staff writer
Austin Dunn is playing basketball for a different school, at a different level, and in a different state, than he did a year ago.
But one factor has remained the same. The 6-foot-4 freshman wing for the Clackamas Community College men's basketball team is still averaging double figures in scoring. In fact, his average is even a little bit better than his high school numbers.
"I would have been surprised if last year at this time you had told me I'd be averaging more points and rebounds at a higher level than I was in high school," Dunn said.
Dunn averaged between 17 and 18 points per game his senior year at Mountain View High School. For the Cougars, he is second on the team in scoring, averaging 18.5 points, and is shooting 54.3 percent from the field. The freshman also is averaging 4.8 rebounds.
>> read more...
Cougars capture South second seed with 106-105 comeback win over Chemeketa
February 20, 2008
Oregon City, Ore. - The Chemeketa Storm was in a must win position to stay alive for a playoff spot in the South and they came to battle for it. The first half was a close game with Chemeketa taking a 53-49 advantage into the locker room at the half.
The Storm then built a 14 point lead over the next 15 minutes and looked to be cruising to an easy win.
Still down by 13 with only 1:39 seconds left in the game, J.C. Cook, Austin Dunn and the Cougars caught fire to erase the deficit and won the game in exciting fashion on a three pointer by Quincy Alexander 106-105.
Cook led all scorers with a season high 40 points. Dunn and Adam Brickley combined for another 39 while Scott Martin added 15. Cook also led the team in rebounds with eight and in steals with four. Jeff Sego distributed six assists in the contest. [box score]
The win propels the Cougars into the South Division second seed for the 2008 NWAACC Championship. The Cougars were selected over SW Oregon, who have the same 9-4 division record, based on a rotating tie-breaker numbering system.
Clackamas will take on the West #3 seed at 10pm on February 28 at the Toyota Center in Kennewick, WA. The tournament is a four day event that takes place from Thursday February 23rd to Sunday March 2nd.
Lakers swamp Cougars 110-75
Feb 16, 2008
Coos Bay, Ore. - Clackamas looked as if they were going to give Southwestern Oregon a strong challenge for second place in the region. But after seven minutes of play, the Lakers established a lead that swelled to thirteen by the half, 48-25.
Things didn't improve in the second as SW Oregon steadily increased the margin by up to 38 points and cruised in 110-75 blowout. [box score]
Austin Dunn scored 21 and J.C. Cook 18. Dunn and Scott Martin collected eight rebounds each. Martin also had two blocked shots and three steals.
The loss drops Clackamas into third place in the South Division.
Clackamas closes out the regular season at home on Wednesday, February 20th against Chemeketa.
Cougars clinch post season berth
February 13, 2008
Oregon City, Ore. The Cougars (8-4, 16-11) jumped out to an early lead on the Mt. Hood Saints and took a 37-25 half time lead on the hot hands of J.C. Cook and Austin Dunn.
Clackamas then unleashed a barrage of unanswered points as they increased the margin to 28 points at 53-25 before Mt. Hood could tally a second period bucket. The Cougars then held off a late Saint rally to win 72-60. [box score]
Dunn and Cook scorched the Saints for a combined 53 points on 62 percent shooting. Dunn also led rebounders with 11 while Adam Brickley grabbed 10. Cook and David Fife dished 4 assists each and Cook blocked 2 shots.
The win marks the eighth consecutive time the eighth-ranked Cougars have qualified for the post season playoffs.[standings]
Next Up: The Cougars travel to Coos Bay to take on the Lakers of
SW Oregon on Saturday. Tip-off is 6 pm.
Cougars lose squeaker in Albany 77-78
February 9, 2008
Albany, ore. - Linn-Benton built a 17 point lead midway through the first half but the Cougars fought back and narrowed the margin to just four going into the half, down 37-41.
The Roadrunners came out firing in the second and rebuilt the lead to nine before Clackamas turned it around and established its own five point advantage with seven minute remaining. The two clubs exchanged leads throughout the final five minutes until Linn-Benton sank a field goal with four seconds remaining to edge the Cougars 77-78.
Austin Dunn lead the Cougars with 22 points on 10 of 14 shooting while J.C. Cook added another 21. Adam Brickley also finished in double figures with 11. David Fife was huge on the boards for the Cougs with 12 rebounds.
With only three games before the NWAACC tournament, the loss puts the Cougars (7-4, 15-11) into a tie for second in the South with Southwestern Oregon.
Next up: The Cougars host Mt Hood on Wednesday, February 13 at 7:30pm.
Battle of Cats - Cougs defeat Panthers
February 6, 2008
Oregon City, Ore. - The Cougars jumped out to a 33-17 lead three quarters into the first half before holding off a late period rally by Portland to take a 39-35 lead into the locker room.
Clackamas again widened the lead by a margin of 14 points mid way through the second half on double-digit scoring by Austin Dunn, Adam Brickley, David Fife and J.C. Cook to secure a 86-78 win.
Brickley lead Cougar scorers with 27 points on 50% shooting. Cook added 19, Dunn 17 and Fife tallied 15. Fife and Brickley controlled the paint and the duo combined for 25 rebounds and 5 blocked shots. Fife also ripped 3 steals to go with Dunn's 2. Dunn and point guard Jeff Sego fueled the offense distributing 5 assists each. [box score]
With a division record of 7-3, the win keeps the Cougars in second place in the South just behind Umpqua (10-0) and ahead of Southwestern Oregon (6-4). [standings]
Next Up: The Cougars travel to Albany on Saturday for a game against the RoadRunners of Linn Benton CC (2-8, 6-15). Tip-off is scheduled for 6 pm.
Cougars ranked #8 in latest NWAACC men's basketball coaches poll
Spokane tops men's poll for eighth consecutive week
February 5, 2008
Vancouver, Wash. - The top-ranked Spokane Sasquatch (8-0, 21-1) have garnered every #1 vote this season and have been largely unchallenged during their current fifteen game winning streak. Umpqua (9-0, 19-4) moves up a spot to second. The Riverhawks are on a ten game win streak and appear to be on cruise control in the South Division. West Division leader Lower Columbia (9-0, 16-5) moves up three spots to number three and North Division leader Whatcom (9-1, 17-5), who was previously unranked, is fourth.
Big Bend (7-1, 18-3), who's only loss in their last fourteen games was to top-ranked Spokane, are fifth this week. Peninsula (7-2, 16-6) dropped a pair of league games recently and falls from second to sixth. A pair of newcomers, Everett and Clackamas, joins this week's top eight. Everett (8-2, 16-6) comes in at seventh while last year's league champion Clackamas (6-3, 14-10) makes its poll debut at eighth. [view poll]
Cougars dominate Titans 96-78
February 02, 2008
Eugene, Ore - The Cougars jumped out to a 22-8 lead on the Lane Titans (4-5, 13-11) and held the lead the rest of the way for a 96-78 victory.
The Titans closed the gap to 37-24 just before the half , but Clackamas went on another run, building its largest lead of 23 points, 80-57, mid-way through the second half.
Austin Dunn rebounded from a dismal game on Wednesday to led all scorers with 31 on a fine 67% shooting percentage. J.C. Cook also had big numbers with 24 points and 8 rebounds while Adam Brickley added a solid double-double on 19 points and 11 boards. A hosts of Cougars had four plus assists led by David Fife's 5. [box score]
The win, coupled with a loss by Southwestern Oregon, gives Clackamas sole possession of second place in the South Division behind Umpqua.
Next up: Clackamas returns home to host the Portland Panthers on Wednesday February 06. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:30.
Storm rain on Cougars 85-70
January 30, 2008
Salem, Ore. - Chemeketa wasted no time in establishing a lead and built a 13-point margin 22-9 midway through the first half. Adam Brickley and company fought back however, and only trailed the Storm by three, 39-36, at the half. Brickley bagged 12 of his 14 points to lead the first period resurgence.
Chemeketa quickly rebuilt the lead in the second, going up by eleven, 54-43, before establishing the game's largest margin of sixteen at 64-48. The Cougar's Jonny Brainard caught fire from beyond the arc, going 4/4, but his efforts couldn't turn the tide as the Storm won in convincing fashion 85-70.
Brainard led the Cougars with 17 on a perfect five for five from beyond the arc including a pair of free throws. J.C. Cook and Brickley added 14 apiece while David Fife added 12 and Austin Dunn 11. Dunn, who averages 54% from the floor, struggled in the game with a 31% shooting performance. Brickley pulled down 11 defensive boards and Jeff Sego added 4 assists.
[box score]
The loss dropped the Cougars to 5-3 in the division, still good for a second place tie with SW Oregon. The Lakers lost tonight at Umpqua and also hold a 5-3 record.
Riverhawks corral the Cats 104-88
January 26, 2008
Oregon City, Ore. - Clackamas had third-ranked Umpqua (7-0, 17-4) where they wanted them for much of the first half as Austin Dunn and Jeff Sego tallied double digit scoring during the first period.
The Cougars built a 23-9 lead, but the Riverhawks slowly whittled the gap until just before half-time when they pulled ahead 42-41 and took a 44-42 lead into the locker room.
Clackamas briefly regained the lead in the opening of the second and held close to the Riverhawks at 59-60, but a 15-pt run by Umpqua stifled the Cougars and Clackamas never recovered.
Austin Dunn was again on the mark with 25 points on a 10 of 14 shooting performance. J.C. Cook hit 16, but the Cougar's season scoring leader suffered an unusually low 25% field goal percentage for the game. Sego and Adam Brickley added 13 points apiece. David Fife was the high rebounder with 5 and Sego dished 10 assists.
The loss dropped the Cougars to 5-2 in the division and a tie for second place with Southwestern Oregon.
Cougars improve to 5-1 in South Division
January 23, 2008
Gresham, Ore. - Clackamas jumped out to an early 20-9 lead, but the Mt. Hood Saints played exceptional defense and whittled the Cougar lead to just five at 30-25 going into the half.
Clackamas mounted it's largest lead at 58-37 on several huge outside jumpers by J.C. Cook and the Cougars cruised the rest of the way, winning by fourteen, 71-57.
Cook led all scorers with 25 points and shot a blistering 63% from beyond the arc on five of eight shooting. Adam Brickley, Jeff Sego and David Fife combined for an additional 33. Brickley and Fife also crashed the boards for 16 rebounds while Sego and Austin Dunn grabbed 12 more. Sego also served up six assists in the contest.
The victory marks the sixth win in the last seven games for the Cougars who are now 5-1 in the Southern Division and 13-8 overall.
Clackamas defeats eighth-ranked SW Oregon
January 20, 2008
Oregon City, Ore. - Clackamas established an early nine point lead 22-13 mid way through the first half, but the Lakers (3-2, 14-6) took control of the game 46-42 lead going into the locker room at the half.
After 16 lead changes, the Cougars out-paced Southwestern Oregon to take a 96-91 home victory.
J.C. Cook led all scorers with 38 points, including his 11 of 15 shooting from the charity stripe. Austin Dunn had another fine performance adding 22. Adam Brickley was strong on the boards with 9 and David Fife grabbed 7 more. Jeff Sego fueled the Cougar attack with 11 assists and Cook swiped 4 Laker balls. [box score]
The win moves the Cougars into sole possession of second place in the South Division with a 4-1 record, just behind Umpqua who stand at 5-0.
Cougars win big at Portland
January 16, 2008
Portland, Ore. - The Cougars jumped out to a 46-38 half-time lead and never looked back in a 95-73 thumping of the struggling Portland Panthers (0-4, 2-14).
The Cougars' largest margin was 26 points at 82-56.
Austin Dunn had 36 points in a phenomenal game, shooting 88% on 15 of 17 from the floor including 4/4 from the charity stripe. J.C. Cook also turned in a stellar game on 14 of 21 shooting for 31 points. Cook leads all Cougars' scorers on the season with 21.4 ppg. [Cougar stats]
Adam Brickley led rebounders with six and Dunn added five more. David Fife dished out five assists and Jeff Sego added four. Fife also created trouble in the paint for Portland with two blocked shots. Cook also created offensive problems for the Panthers with six steals. [box score]
The win improves the squad to 3-1 in league play and moves the Cougars into a three way tie for second place in the Southern Division.
Clackamas men top Roadrunners 89-79
January 12, 2008
Oregon City, Ore. - The Cougars (2-1, 10-8) fresh off a 25 point drilling at Umpqua were looking to improve their Southern Division standings against the Linn-Benton Roadrunners (1-2, 5-9).
The Roadrunners ambushed the Cougars in the first half, jumping out to a 48-43 intermission lead. But Clackamas got things ironed out in the locker room and heated up the scoreboard to gain a sixteen point advantage 75-59 en route to a 89-79 win.
Austin Dunn poured in 22 points to lead the Cougars. JC Cook added 18, Jeff Sego 16 and Adam Brickley 15. Brickley and David Fife pulled down 6 boards apiece while Dunn and Cook added 5 each. Cook and Sego combined for 7 assists and Fife swiped 3 steals. [box score].
Cougars open Holiday tournament with 96-80 thumping of Tacoma
December 28, 2007
Oregon City, Ore - Austin Dunn, J.C. Cook, David Fife and Adam Brickely combined for 77 of the Cougars 96 points as Clackamas dispatched the 2-5 Titans to the loser half of the Clackamas Holiday Tournament bracket Friday evening. [box score]
Dunn, a 6' 4" freshman wing, led all Cougars scorers with 23 points on 9 of 17 shooting. Cook racked up 21 points and Fife was on fire with 17 on a fine 70% shooting performance. Brickely added 16 to round out the double-figure scorers.
Clackamas' 41 rebounds were a team effort as six players had four or more boards with Dunn leading the pack on eight rebounds.
Fife and sophomore point guard Jeff Sego combined for nine assists.
The win marked the seventh win for the Cougars against six losses.
Cougars to host Holiday Tournament Dec 28-30
Eight teams from Washington and Oregon will compete in the three-day tournament beginning December 28th. Along with the Cougars, participating teams are Blue Mountain, Linn-Benton, Lower Columbia, Skagit Valley, Tacoma, Walla Walla & Umpqua. [view bracket]
Clackamas will open against Tacoma at 8pm on December 28th.
Cougs win opener, drop second two at tournament
December 16, 2007
The Cougars traveled to Moses Lake, WA, home of Big Bend Community College, for an eight team crossover (inter-league) tournament this weekend.
Clackamas opened with a 3-5 Edmonds squad, controlling the game early in the contest while jumping out to a 44-32 half-time lead. The Tritons managed to keep pace in the second as both squads tallied 41 points, but the Cougars hung on for the win 85-73. [box score]
Clackamas finished with three guys in big double digit scoring numbers with JC Cook leading the way on 24 points. Austin Dunn and Adam Brickley added 20 each and Jeff Sego dropped in 8. Cook and Dunn combined for twelve boards while David Fife and Brickley added another ten. Sego was the squad's assist leader with 7 and he also picked three steals.
The win moved Clackamas against the 4-4 Lower Columbia Red Devils. The Devils jumped out to a huge 29-19 lead in the first, but the Cougars worked their way back into the game and evened the score at 39 all by the half. After several lead changes and ties, the Devils ended up on top with a 77-74 victory. [box score]
David Fife paced the scorers with 23 points while JC Cook added 17, Adam Brickely 14 and Austin Dunn 13. Brickely (10) , Cook and Fife combined for 24 of the Cougars 37 boards. Jeff Sego again led Clackamas in assists with 8.
The loss moved the Cougars into the tourney's third place game against the home team Big Bend (7-2). The Vikings wasted no time and jumped out to a 46-31 half time lead and never looked back cruising to a 95-77 win. [box score]
JC Cook again led the Cougar scorers with 22 points on 43% shooting. Austin Dunn added 20 on 47% shooting and Quincy Alexander sank 15 on 54% from the floor. Cook, Fife, Brickley and JohnPaul Hefez combined for 27 of the Cougars 45 rebounds. Cook also played strong on defense with 5 steals and added 4 assists on offense.
J.C. Cook's three-game tourney performance earned him a selection to the all-tournament squad.
Next up: The 1-2 tournament result puts the Cougars at 6-6 on the season with another big tournament on the horizon before the new year. Clackamas will host it's Holiday Tournament from December 28-30 at Randal Hall.
Cougars edge Warriors in OT 83-82
December 09, 2007 [box score]
Walla Walla, WA - The Warriors (1-6) were on top of the Cougars at the half 33-31. They then extended the lead to 14-points 59-45, but Clackamas fought back to tie the game and send it into overtime where they outscored the Warriors 9-8 to seal the victory.
All five starters tallied double figure scoring with David Fife, who shot a blistering 89% on 8 of 9 shooting from the floor, and Austin Dunn pacing the squad with 17 points each. J.C. Cook chipped in 14, Adam Brickely had 12 and Jeff Sego added 10.
Brickley was tough on the defensive boards, pulling down 10 rebounds and 1 offensive board.
The win brings Clackamas to a 2-1 record on this road trip and the young squad now stands at 5-4 on the season.
Next Up: Clackamas (5-4) travels to Wenatchee Valley College on Dec14 for a three-day crossover tourney beginning Dec 14th. The Cougars will open the tourney with Edmonds CC (1-4). Game time is set for 1pm.
Cougars go .500 in first two games of road trip
Lose to Blue Mountain Win at Columbia Basin
December 08, 2007
The Cougars traveled to Pendleton Friday to take on the Blue Mountain Timberwolves (2-3) in the opener of a two-game road trip. Clackamas defeated the T-wolves at home on last week 103-89, but the Wolves evened the series one game apiece with a 76-73 win. The Cougars were down at the half 39-30 and managed to stay in the contest but came up short.
Wing Austin Dunn led the Cougars with 23 points and Adam Brickley added 20 on 80% shooting from the field. J.C. Cook had 12 points and Jeff Sego chipped in 11. Brickley led all Cougars with six boards. [box score]
On Saturday, the Cougars took on the Columbia Basin Hawks (5-3) and were looking for revenge on the 82-81 home court loss last week. Clackamas jumped out to a 38-28 half-time lead and maintained the margin for a 78-69 win in the Tri-Cities.
Five Cougars finished with double-figure scoring with J.C. Cook leading the pack on his 23 points. Austin Dunn and Adam Brickley had 13 points while Jeff Sego and JohnPaul Hefez finished with 10 apiece. Cook crashed the boards for a team leading 10 rebounds. [box score]
Red Devil Classic Tournament
Cougars place third in field of eight
November 23-25, 2007 -
Longview, Wash.
Nov 23rd - Clackamas 84 Yakima Valley 75 (box)
The young Cougars took their collective fragile psyches north to Longview, Washington, facing the unbeaten (2-0) Yaks. The Cougars took an early lead, claiming a 37-30 lead at the end of the first half.
In the second half, CCC repelled numerous Yakima runs, as YVCC closed to 61-60; but the young Clackamas squad took a major step in defining its character, pulling steadily away to seal the win.
The contest featured 7 ties and 4 lead changes. Sophomore Adam Brickley paced the offense, with 20 points, 8 rebounds, and 3 assists. JC Cook added 19 points, 4 rebounds, and 3 assists. Freshman Austin Dunn, chipped in 17 points, 9 big rebounds, and a tough defensive assignment. Sophomore Jeff Sego turned in a solid game at point guard, tallying 11 points, 7 rebounds, and 9 assists. Sophomore transfer David Fife created problems all over the floor for the Yak defense, finishing with 9 points, 10 rebounds, and 6 assists. Freshman Scott Martin chipped in 5 points and 4 rebounds. Freshman post JohnPaul Hafez also added 3 points and 5 rebounds.
The Cougars won the rebound battle in decisive fashion, claiming a 51-42 edge. CCC also assisted on 20 of its 30 baskets, shot 45% from the floor , 43% from the arc, and 78% from the stripe.
Nov 24th - Peninsula 82 Clackamas 75 (box)
The Cougars took on the Pirates in a rematch of last' s year' s Red Devil Classic championship game. Clackamas played an excellent first half, jumping out to a 9-0 lead, and holding on. The Cougars executed perfectly on its last position, as David Fife made a nifty move and a slick feed to Adam Brickley for a 43-35 lead at the break.
But after intermission, it was all Peninsula, as they opened the the second half with a 19-2 run that totally changed the game around. Finding themselves down 54-45, the Cougars tried to play catch up ball for the the rest of the half, but could never get over the hump, cutting the lead to 4 points with 90 seconds to play, but failing to make the critical defensive stops necessary.
Clackamas committed 27 turnovers, failing to execute offensively all game long. They did win the rebound battle by a 43-39 count and also shot 82% at the free throw line; however they missed free throws at critical times down the stretch. JC Cook led the offensive attack with 23 points, 3 rebounds, and 3 steals. Jeff Sego added 10 points, 3 rebounds, 4 assists, and 4 steals. Austin Dunn registered 21 points, 7 rebounds, 2 assists, and 2 steals. And Brickley notched 13 points, 6 rebounds, and 4 steals.
Nov 25th - Clackamas 89 Everett 81 (box)
The Cougars (2-2) got back on track and evened it season record in the third place game of the tournament. For the third game in four contests, the young CCC squad jumped out to a 9-0 lead to start the skirmish. But Clackamas is still trying to learn how to keep teams down once they have them down: the Trojans battled back steadily, bombing from deep and pounding the Cougars on the offensive boards to close the margin to 45-44 at the intermission.
JC Cook hit 7 of 9 field goals for 16 points and Adam Brickley contributed 13 points and 5 rebounds to lead the CCC 1st half effort. Clackamas started the second half in a funk, quickly finding itself on the wrong end of a 62-49 deficit. But after a time-out to regroup, the Cougars started steadily clawing back into the game. They started attacking with penetration, getting to the free throw line, and defending more consistently at the other end of the floor.
CCC finally tied the score at 75-75, then slowly increased their lead and put the game away. Jeff Sego's 3 pointer put CCC up by 8 with a minute to go, closing the door on the Everett squad.
Sego played a sensational second half, responding to a first half benching in stellar fashion; he ran the Cougar offense and attacked the Trojan defense relentlessly. Scoreless in the first half, he finished with 19 second half points, hitting 10 of 10 free throws, grabbing 4 rebounds, and dishing out 6 assists.
Cook finished the game with a season high 30 points to go with 6 rebounds, 3 assists, and 3 steals. He was selected to the all-tournament team averaging 24 ppg. for the tournament. Brickley finished the game with a double double: 16 points, 10 rebounds, and 2 steals.
David Fife struggled to score the ball, but helped the team effort with 7 rebounds, 5 assists, and 5 steals. Austin Dunn struggled early, but played well down the stretch at crunch time, hitting some key baskets and free throws to get CCC over the hump. He finished the game with 11 points, 4 rebounds, and 3 assists.
JohnPaul Hafez provided some strong inside play, showing some rugged defense, grabbing 8 rebounds, and blocking 2 shots. CCC shot 47% from the floor while holding Everett to 34% shooting.
The Trojans launched deep howitzers, connecting on 11 of 45 three point attempts, while the Cougars were much more selective and efficient, hitting on 5 of 10 treys. Clackamas shot a solid 74% from the free throw line, compared to a frigid 42% by their opponents. Still the Cougars left some glaring room for improvement, turning the ball over 24 times and losing out on the rebound battle by a 54-46 margin. Clackamas continued to show well historically in the Red Devil Classic with the 3rd place trophy, marking the 8th consecutive year the Cougars have placed in the tournament and taken home hardware.
Cougars Nearly Win at Buzzer - Fall to Linfield JV
21-game win streak snapped
November 20, 2007
Oregon City, Ore. - Clackamas 77 Linfield JV 78 (Box Score)
The Cougars (0-1) began the season with a 21-game winning streak, virtually an entire new roster, and a plethora of unanswered questions.
The night unfolded in disappointment and more questions to be asked. Sometimes growing up is painful, and this night was full of pain and frustration for the neophyte Cougars. Although Clackamas outplayed the visiting Wildcats in most areas, they got beaten in two critical areas: losing the rebound battle 46-41 and losing track of Linfield shooters on the perimeter, giving up 10 three-pointers, mostly on easy looks.
CCC shot a respectable 44% from the field and a crisp 78% at the free throw stripe, but hit only 5 of 18 threes (28%.) JC Cook turned in a solid game to lead the CCC team, with 18 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists, and 4 steals. Austin Dunn added 10 points and 2 steals. David Fife had 8 points, 8 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2 blocks. Scott Martin chipped in 8 points and 3 rebounds. And 7' 1" freshman post Brad King was good for 8 points and 3 rebounds. Point guard Jeff Sego registered 8 points and 5 assists.
Clackamas jumped out to a 9-0 lead to start the game, but allowed the Wildcats quickly back into the contest with back to back threes, which would become an all too familiar sight for the evening.
The game remained close throughout but Clackamas could never put the game away, missing a big free throw at the end of the game, then giving up the game-winning shot in the key with two seconds to play. The Cougars got one last desperation shot off at the buzzer, but it was off the mark, much like the Cougar performance.
Freeman Signs With Long Beach State University
April 28, 2007
Oregon City, Ore. - Brian Freeman, the Cougars' 6’10”
sophomore center, has signed a letter of intent to play
basketball at Long Beach State University. Freeman, from
Albany, led the 2007 Cougar team to an NWAACC
championship, all time best 29-4 record, and an undefeated
Southern Region title. He was also named the
Southern Region and NWAACC tournament MVP. Prior to redshirting in 2006, he
guided the 2005 team to a 24-7 record and a 3rd place
finish in the NWAACC.
While at Clackamas CC, his teams were a combined 53-11, winning 83% of their games. Freeman was actively recruited
by more than 30 Division I schools.
He joins a program that
was 24-8 last season, winning the conference regular season, tournament title and making the NCAA tournament. The new Long Beach State coach is Dan Monson, formerly of Gonzaga and and the University of Minnesota. Read more at Long Beach State...
David Cernin Signs with Cal Baptist University
April 04 , 2007
Oregon City, Ore. - David Cernin has signed to play at Cal Baptist University in Riverside, CA, earning a full scholarship.
Cernin helped this year's Clackamas team to an undefeated region championship and NWAACC championship.
He earned First Team All-Region and First Team All-Tournament at the NWAACC Championships. Read more at CBU Web site...
Wegner Named NWAACC Coach of the Year
March 23, 2007
Vancouver, Wash. - After winning his first NWAACC Championship, Clif Wegner was voted the 2007 Men's Basketball Coach of the Year. Clackamas finished the year 29-4 and won the NWAACC Championship for the first time since 1994. Clackamas has been to the tournament the past seven tournaments, placing in the top eight every year with third places in 2002 & 2004.
This was Wegner's ninth season at Clackamas and tenth in the NWAACC. His Cougar teams have won 77% of their contests and three Southern Region titles in 2001, 03 and 07. Wegner will be honored at the NWAACC's Annual Hall of Fame Banquet which is being held May 31, 2007 in Bellevue, WA.
West Albany grad looks ahead
By Steve Lathrop
Albany Democrat-Herald
Clif Wegner felt pestered throughout much of the basketball season.
He blames Brian Freeman.
Wegner is the Clackamas Community College basketball coach and Freeman is the man who led the Cougars to the Northwest Athletic Association of Community Colleges basketball title and a 29-4 record.
“I’ve gotten sick of all the D1 coaches showing up in the gym this year,” he laughed. “Brian is the reason for that.”
>> Read more...
COUGARS 2007 NWAACC CHAMPIONS
Men Defeat #2-ranked Bellevue for Crown
March 04, 2007
Kennewick, WA. - The Cougars defeated second-ranked, North Division Champions, Bellevue Bulldogs (15-1, 28-4) 67-56 in a match that was a battle until the closing minutes. For the Cougars, the championship game win put the finishing touch on a dream season:
a perfect run through the South Division at 14-0, a 21-consecutive game winning streak to finish the season, a march
though the NWAACC championship that vanquished the division
champions from the West, East, and North division on three
consecutive days, and a final, convincing statement to justify the
team’s #1 ranking in the NWAACC coaches’ poll. The team’s final
win, its 29th of the season, established an all-time record for wins
in a season at Clackamas Community College. Here is summary off all four tournament games:
Clackamas 87, Blue Mountain 75 -- March 1, 2007
The Cougars opened 2007 NWAACC Tournament action facing a
familiar opponent; Blue Mountain had beaten CCC in a preseason game in
December. But it was all Clackamas in the rematch as the Cougars jumped
out to a 13-3 lead. They kept the Timberwolves unbalanced throughout the
first half and led 41-3 at intermission.
CCC held BMCC at a comfortable
distance throughout the second half, winning by a final score of 87-75. The
Cougars shot 50% from the field and 65% from the free throw line. CCC also
converted 18 Timberwolf turnovers into 16 points and out rebounded their
opponents by 42-40 margin.
The Cougars were paced by Brian Freeman’s 20
points and 17 rebounds. David Cernin had 17 points, 6 rebounds, 8 assists,
and 4 steals to lead a superior Cougar back court. Maurice Ross finished with
17 points, 4 rebounds, and 4 assists. Stephen Vaughan tallied 14 points, 7
rebounds, and 2 steals. JR Morgan had 6 points and 3 steals. Nick Eldridge
had 6 points and 2 rebounds. Nathaniel Germaneri added 2 points, 3
rebounds, and 2 assists. Luke Defrees had 5 points and 2 assists. The win
marked 17 straight victories for Clackamas and, more importantly, put them
into the championship quarterfinals.
Clackamas 87, Highline 86 -- March 2, 2007
Clackamas and Highline matched up in what might go down as one of the most
memorable games in tournament history, a thrilling double overtime nail
biter! Some billed it as the championship game; in retrospect, it may well have been. Highline jumped out to a 13-3 lead, forcing the Cougars into
calling a time-out to regroup. Switching to a zone defense, CCC battled back
to a 20-20 tie. But the Thunderbirds, West Division Champions, spurted out
to a 34-24 lead. But the Cougars roared back, showing everyone in the arena
how champions respond by finishing the half with a gutsy 10-0 run, capped by
a sensational steal by Stephen Vaughan. He drove the length of the floor and
dished the ball to Maurice Ross who drained a 3 at the buzzer.
The Cougars
had fought back to a 34-34 tie! The second half was as intense and
competitive as basketball can be at the NWAACC level. At the end of
regulation, the sensational Cougar defense came up with one more huge stop
to give themselves the opportunity to win the game. With two seconds to go
CCC flawlessly executed a full court inbounds play. Alex Brock’s 3 point shot
at the buzzer brought the entire arena to its feet as it rolled around the rim
and popped out. In the first overtime the Cougars dominated action to take a
five point lead, but failed to put the Thunderbirds away, missing several big
free throws and then turning the ball over on their last possession.
In the
second overtime, the difference was the defense and rebounding of the CCC
team, coupled with balanced scoring from four players that carried the
Cougars to the win. Clackamas shooters struggled throughout the game,
shooting 40% from the field, 33% from the arc, and 60% from the charity
stripe. For the game, Clackamas played just a little better basketball,
grabbing 52 rebounds and only committing 11 turnovers.
Stephen Vaughan
put on a memorable and sensational performance, hitting 9 of 12 shots and
both his 3’s for a 30 point outburst. He also grabbed 9 rebounds and
registered 2 assists, 2 steals, and 3 drawn charges. David Cernin tallied 17
points 7 rebounds, 3 assists, and 3 steals. Brian Freeman scored 19 points
and cornered 17 rebounds in another tremendous individual effort. Maurice
Ross led his team with sensational defense, 9 points, and 5 assists. Nick
Eldridge chipped in 3 points, 3 rebounds, and 3 assists. Alex Brock added 6
points, a huge assist , and a blocked shot. Nathaniel Germaneri was good for
2 rebounds, 1 assist, a blocked shot and a steal; his defensive intensity was
an inspiration to the Cougars. Luke Defrees completed an outstanding
defensive assignment and also scored a huge 3 pointer when the Cougars
needed a boost in the first half.
For the Cougars, the hard fought victory
extended their win streak to 19 games and put the Clackamas program in
the semifinals for the third time in seven years.
SEMI-FINAL - Clackamas 75, Walla Walla 65 -- March 3, 2007
Clackamas faced its second league champion in as many nights, taking on the
third-ranked Warriors from the East Division. The Cougar defense
deserved the game ball for this victory, holding the up-tempo Warriors to
their lowest total of the season. CCC used a solid first half to take a 39-28
advantage at the break. Then they held off several furious Walla Walla rallies
to claim the win.
CCC out-rebounded their opponents by a 49-40 advantage
and also claimed a 18-8 edge in second chance points. The defensive trio of
Maurice Ross, JR Morgan and Luke Defrees, limited Walla Walla’s key
offensive player averaging 18 ppg.) to 3 points on 1-8 shooting. Ross also
added 8 rebounds and 5 assists, while Defrees, a sophomore co-captain,
nailed 3 threes and finished with 11 points and 2 rebounds. For the game, the
Cougars converted 43% of its field goals, and 71% of its free throws.
Brian
Freeman punished the Warriors inside, hitting 14 of 19 shots, and 8 of 11
free throws, for a career high 36 points. Freeman also grabbed 18 rebounds,
and blocked 3 shots. Stephen Vaughan fought the bigger Warriors inside for
10 points and 9 rebounds. Nick Eldridge added 5 points, 2 rebounds, and 2
steals. David Cernin tossed in 10 points, grabbed 4 rebounds, dished out 5
assists, and had 5 steals. Nathaniel Germaneri sparkled again with 3 points, 2
rebounds, 2 assists, and 2 steals. The win kept the Cougar victory string
intact at 20 games, and put Clackamas in the title game for the first time
since 1994.
CHAMPIONSHIP - Clackamas 67, Bellevue 56 -- March 4, 2007
The top-ranked Cougars faced the daunting task of defeating a third consecutive
region champion in as many nights-- a first in tournament history. It looked
bad early, as CCC was outscored 5-0 to start the game. But being a
champion is about heart, and the Cougars roared back, eventually taking a
20-11 lead. At the half it was Clackamas 36, Bellevue, 27.
The Bulldogs fought back to a 50-50 tie in the second half, but the top-ranked CCC team
refused to yield to the second-ranked North Division Champions.
Again, it
was Brian Freeman who kept the Cougars in control. The Cougar big man had
18 points, 10 rebounds, and 2 assists, capping off what will surely go down
as one of the most sensational four day tournament performances by a post
player in NWAACC history.
David Cernin also made huge plays when his team
needed them the most; he finished with 17 points, 2 rebounds, 5 assists, and
3 steals. Steven Vaughan added another inspirational defensive effort to his
11 points and 5 rebounds. Maurice Ross also showed up impressively on the
defensive end while adding 4 points, 6 rebounds, and 7 assists. JR Morgan
also contributed to the Cougar guards’ dominance by giving the Bellevue
backcourt fits and dishing out 2 assists while attacking the BCC defense.
Nick Eldridge also anchored the defense while hitting for 7 points and fighting
for 5 tough rebounds. Nathaniel Germaneri chipped in another superb
defensive stint to go with his 2 points and 3 rebounds. And Luke Defrees
again contributed a courageous effort, flawlessly filling a challenging
defensive assignment; he finished with 8 points and 4 rebounds, while hitting
5 of 6 free throws at crunch time to keep the Bulldogs at bay and salt the
win away.
For the game, CCC beat the bigger Bulldogs on the boards, 42-36
and also outscored their opponents 18-6 at the three point line. Clackamas
shot respectably: 41 % from the field and 71% from the line. Also clearly in
evidence in the title game was the hallmark of the CCC program: passing and
team play--the Cougar TEAM assisted on 19 of their 23 baskets!
Three CCC
players were selected to the all tourney team: Steven Vaughan for the
second team, David Cernin for the first team, and Brian Freeman as the
tournament MVP.
Region All-Stars Announced
Brian Freeman MVP - Clif Wegner COY
February 27, 2007
Vancouver, WA. - The 2006-07 NWAACC Men's All-Star team and regional Coach of the Year selections have been announced. Coach Wegner was named the South Division Coach of the Year after coaching his squad to a 25-4 record, a South Division title and a number one ranking in the NWAACC coaches' poll. Sophomore post Brian Freeman, who played an amazing season for the Cougs, was selected as the region MVP. Joining Freeman on the first team are sophomores David Cernin and Steven Vaughan. Sophomore guard Maurice Ross was selected to the region's second team.
Freeman is at or near the top of the NWAACC in several statistical categories. He leads in offensive, defensive and total rebounds per game; is fourth in overall productivity and blocked shots; ninth in free throws; 17th in scoring average and fourth in field goal percentage. Vaughan is tenth in productivity; 16th in points scored; seventh in offensive rebounds and 19th in total rebounds. Cernin is 23rd in productivity; 18th in three-point goals made; 21st in defensive and total rebounds; 20th in assists and 21st in steals. Ross was sixth in assists and 32nd in steals. View Teams: Men's All-Stars
