LA GRANDE, Ore. - With the change in weather it also means there is a change in sports. As winter approaches it's a sign that basketball season is nearly upon us! Eastern Oregon Men's basketball is ready to begin the 2021-22 campaign. Read below to learn about this year's squad, the schedule, and much more. 

2021-22 Season Outlook
• The Mountaineers will look to bounce back this year after a 2020-21 season that saw the team go just 8-12 overall and 3-9 in CCC spring season play. Eastern will also have a new look bench in terms of players and coaches.
• Ahead of the 2021-22 season, Chris Kemp was elevated to interim head coach for EOU after spending the previous four seasons as the top assistant. No stranger to the team, Kemp will look to guide the Mountaineers back to contention and he won't be alone. 
• Kemp added Que Johnson as his top assistant for this season. Johnson's resume speaks for itself as he was a five-year player at the NCAA Division I level for Washington State (four seasons) and  Western Kentucky (one season). Also on Kemp's staff this year is Kobi Gardea as a student assistant. Gardea joined the staff following two seasons as a player with the Mountaineers. 
• The Mountaineers squad is a 50/50 mixture of returners and newcomers. In the newcomers department though, there are multiple transfers who have collegiate playing experience. The combined experience gives the Mountaineers a chance to potentially fly under the radar to start the season. 
• Of the returners back this year, Max McCullough once again highlights the group. The Mountaineers all-time leading scorer at 2,061 points. Along with McCullough, the Mountaineers bring back their top-five scorers, all of which were double figure players.
• Going into this season, the Mountaineers are preseason picked to finish eighth in the CCC coaches' poll. Eastern picked up 59 points as voted upon by the league coaches and were just 10 points back of tying for seventh with Northwest. Time will tell on how this year plays out for the Mountaineers and if the rebuild process will work.

2020-21 Season Review
• Eastern was fortunate enough to play in 2020-21 but due the global COVID-19 pandemic, the team did not play a traditional season and was forced to play a modified schedule in the spring. They made the most of it and competed in 20 games, finishing with an 8-12 overall record and a 3-9 mark in conference play.
• Despite the challenges, EOU still made the most of the year. History was made along the way as Max McCullough broke the all-time scoring record at EOU. At the end of the season, he reached 2,061 for his career. Entering this year, McCullough is the only player in program history to eclipse 2,000 career points.
• For the spring season, two players garnered All-CCC honors in McCullough and Justin Jeske. McCullough was named the CCC Player of the Year for spring and earned First Team honors, while Jeske was named Honorable Mention.

The Chris Kemp File
• Entering his fifth season overall with Eastern, Chris Kemp is now the head bench boss after spending the previous four seasons as the team's top assistant. He was named the interim head coach back in May of 2021.
• In each of the last four seasons as the top assistant, Kemp helped guide EOU to a 61-49 overall record and a 36-34 mark in Cascade Collegiate Conference play in that span.
• Ahead of the 2020-21 season, Kemp took a dual role and served as an assistant coach for both EOU men's and women's basketball. While on staff with the Mountaineer women's team, he helped lead the team to a 16-4 overall record and an 8-2 mark in conference play.

The 2021-22 Schedule
• The Mountaineers are scheduled to compete in 32 games this season, with 10 being non-conference bouts. Of the eight non-conference games scheduled, two are exhibitions against NCAA Division I opponents in Idaho State and reigning National Runner-Up Gonzaga.
• Eastern will tip-off the 2021-22 season at the Comfort Suites Classic hosted by Carroll College against two teams from the Frontier Conference in Montana Tech and Carroll. The Mountaineers first home game will be Oct. 30 against Montana Western.
• The Mountaineers first CCC game will take place Nov. 23 at College of Idaho, but they will not return to conference action again until early December. Inside Quinn Coliseum, EOU is scheduled to play 13 games inside Quinn Coliseum. To see the full 2021-22 schedule, click the link above.

POSITION BREAKDOWN
Guards
• Of the 17 players listed on the roster this year, 12 are listed at the guard position. Making up the guards group is Phillip Malatare, Kendall Williams, Paul Pennington, DaMarius Brown, Ryne Andreason, Max McCullough, Zane Wright, Brandon Porter, Manny N'tula, Justin Jeske, Jack Allard, and Cooper Lumsden.
• Out of this baker's dozen, those expected to work at the point guard position this year are Malatare, Pennington, and N'Tula. All three have previous collegiate experience, with Pennington being the lone returner of the group. Last year, Penning appeared in 16 games and started in 11. He averaged 12.1 points per game and dished out 67 assists on the year.
• With more depth at the point guard spot, players like McCullough and Porter will be able to work more at the shooting guard position. Both solid shooters, McCullough and Porter have the ability to work more off the ball to help create space. McCullough is no stranger to point guard though and can play at position when called upon.
• Last season McCullough led the Mountaineers in scoring at 21.1 points per game and he was the top assist getter at 104. Porter was third in scoring at 13.0.
• Looking to build upon what was a breakout year in 2020-21 will be Wright. The junior was the Mountaineers top-three point shooter and was the second leading scorer at 14.9 points per game. His ability to stretch the floor adds depth to the Mountaineers three-point shooting. 
• Jeske, another double figure scorer last season, brings strength to the guard group. Although listed at 6-2, Jeske can play down low when called upon. He averaged 10.7 points per game last year for the Mountaineers and was the top rebounder at 8.4 per game.
• Williams appeared in all 20 games last season and was a starter in five. He averaged 14.7 minutes per game and was able to pull down 3.4 rebounds per contest. He shot 50% from the floor overall and averaged 4.9 points per game.
• New to the group for the Mountaineers in this group are Malatare, Brown, Andreason, N'tula, Allard, and Lumsden. Malatare and Brown come to EOU from North Idaho College, while N'tula is a transfer from Colorado State Pueblo. Andreason, Allard, and Lumsden all come in as true freshmen.

Forwards
• Three players make up the forwards in Xavier Lovelace, Preston Chandler, and Jordan Montrose. Both Montrose and Chandler are returners for EOU while Lovelace comes in as a transfer from Tacoma Community College.
• Last season, Chandler appeared in all 20 games for the Mountaineers and was a starter in 13. He averaged 8.5 points per game and was second in rebounding at 6.0 boards per contest. He was also a 74.4% free throw shooter and averaged 27.0 minutes per game.
• Montrose also appeared in all 20 games last season for Eastern as a key reserve off the bench. He averaged 8.7 minutes per game and grabbed 2.2 rebounds per contest.
• For Lovelace, he enters his sophomore campaign in his first year with EOU. Listed at 6-6, he will also see some time at the shooting guard spot in 2021-22. 

Centers
• Just two athletes are listed at the center position in Ismael Valdez and Riley O'Harra. Valdez comes to Eastern as a Division I transfer from East Tennessee State, while O'Harra is a true freshman.
• Prior to East Tennessee State, Valdez played his first two seasons at North Idaho College. He helped lead NIC to a 60-3 record in two seasons.
• Both Valdez and O'Harra are listed at forwards as well but will primarily be relied upon to play down low in the post.

SCOUTING THE COMPETITION - Comfort Suites Classic
Montana Tech Orediggers
• The Orediggers posted a 13-11 overall record last season and were 12-8 in Frontier Conference play. They made the conference tournament and reached the semifinal round before being eliminated.
• This weekend's match-up against the Mountaineers will also be the season opener for Montana Tech.
• In the preseason Frontier Conference coaches' poll has Montana Tech picked to finish second this season.
• Offensively, the Orediggers averaged 73.2 points per game on 46.2% shooting overall. They were 34.2% from beyond the arc and dished out 11.0 assists per game.
• Defensively, Montana Tech allowed 73.4 points per game on 43.2% shooting. The Orediggers averaged 33.3 rebounds per game and forced 14.2 turnovers per game to go along with 3.0 blocks shots per contest.
• Leading scorer Sindou Diallo is back for Montana Tech. He averaged 19.6 points per game in 20 games and shot 48.6% from the floor. He also dished out 47 assists to lead the team and had 21 steals.
• The Orediggers top rebounder is also back in Code Baumstack. He averaged 8.5 rebounds per game and finished the season with 169. He also chipped in 7.0 points per game. Baumstack also led the team in blocked shots with 36 and shot 62.6% overall. 
• Montana Tech did lose its No. 2 and 3 scorers, making Taylor England the next top scorer back behind Diallo. He averaged 11.7 points per game and shot 49.6% from the floor. He was also second in rebounding last season at 7.2 per game.

Carroll College Saints
• The Saints have already played two games this season, with one being an exhibition. The team's official win came against Yellowstone Christian College by a final of 117-40.
• In the win for Carroll, Smarock Campbell led the way in scoring with 27 points on 69.3% shooting. He also was 55.6% from three-point range in the win.
• In all, seven Saints posted double-digit points in the win. Jovan Sljivancanin was the second leading scorer with 17 points to go along with 18 boards for the doubled-double.
• In 2020-21, the Saints averaged 73.5 points per game. They shot 46.5% overall and were 41.1% from three-point range. The Saints averaged 13.5 assists per game as well.
• Defensively, Carroll held opponents to 65.0 points per game last season. Teams shot 44.7% against them. The Saints averaged 36.9 rebounds per game and forced 13.6 turnovers per game to go along with 21.1 blocks per contest.
• The Saints earned an at-large bid to last year's NAIA National Tournament and made it to the quarterfinal round before being eliminated.
• Going into this season, the Saints are the favorites to win the Frontier Conference. They picked up five first place votes in the preseason coaches' poll. 
• Sljivancanin, who was first team all-conference and second team All-American last season, was selected as the preseason conference player of the year.
 • In addition to Sljivancanin, the Carroll front-court will possess a veteran presence from the likes of Brendan Temple, Ifeanyi Okeke, and Murat Guzelocak. All have seen quality time on the hardwood for the Saints.
•  Campbell returns to lead the Saints' back court for the fourth consecutive season. Last year, Campbell was tabbed as the defensive player of the year and a first team all-conference selection in the Frontier Conference. He also received honorable mention All-American honors.

Up Next
• Following the Comfort Suites Classic, EOU will return to La Grande for its 2021-22 home opener. The Mountaineers will face another Frontier Conference squad in Montana Western. Tip-off against the Bulldogs is set for 10:30 a.m. PT inside Quinn Coliseum.

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