Men's Basketball Season Preview/Review

2007-08 Men's Basketball Season Preview

Former Bigfoot Head Coach Eric Hughes may have departed for the NBA’s Toronto Raptors, however, he made sure the proverbial cupboard was full for Mike Burns and his staff before he left for the great white north.  The 2007-08 CCS squad will return eight players and seven sophomores from the 2006-07 team that went 13-16 overall and 6-8 in Eastern Region play.  Experience will play a huge role as the Sasquatch try to return to the form that saw them capture back-to-back Eastern Region titles in 2004-05 and 2005-06.

The sophomore class is led by Eric Beal, one of only two freshmen named to the First Team All-Eastern Region last fall.  Beal will be joined in the backcourt by fellow sophomores Jon Clift, Bo Gregg, and Jeff Johnson.  Both Clift and Gregg started multiple games with Beal in the backcourt as freshmen in 2006-07.  Zach Gianukakis, another returning starter, will redshirt in 2007-08 because of back surgery.

The frontcourt court is equally experienced with returnees 6’6” Jordan Gregg, 6’7” Robert Lippman, and 6’6” Kyle Turpin.  The sophomore trio all started at different times during the 2006-07 season as freshmen.  Also returning after a redshirt freshman season is Beal’s former high school teammate 6’5” Damal Neil.  This experienced foursome will give the Bigfoot much needed depth inside for the 2007-08 campaign. 

The CCS 2007-08 freshman class is led by 6’5” wing Matt Dorr, out of Mt. Spokane High School and the Armed Forces Prep School, and 6’1” wing Kevin Cameron from Central Valley High School. The backcourt newcomers also feature former Shadle Park High School point guard Leo Avila and Skyline High School (CA) wing Donald Gaines.

The newest frontcourt additions are 6’5” Rocky Gipson of Brewster High School and 6’7” North Central graduate Justin Anderson.  They are joined by 6’1” swingman Nate Jackson of the Dewey Academy (CA).

The depth and experience of the sophomore class combined with the talented newcomers in the freshman class have the Bigfoot poised for a run at another Eastern Region championship.  “The challenge for us is to keep improving throughout November and December and get ourselves in position to be playing our best basketball by the time Eastern Region play begins in January,” notes first year Head Coach Mike Burns.    “We return some great depth and talent in our sophomore class, but what I am most impressed with is the overall character of this entire group.  They are very talented basketball players but are even better people and students.  They are definitely a group of young men that the CCS community can be proud of both on and off the court.”