WEST PLAINS, Mo. – Four members of the 2014-15 Missouri State University-West Plains Grizzly Basketball team have been named to the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) All-Region 16 Team.
They are sophomores Jameel Moore, a 6-foot, 2-inch guard from Richmond Heights, Ohio, and Craig Eubanks, a 6-foot, 4-inch guard from Cleveland, Ohio; and freshmen Terrel Martin-Garcia, a 6-foot, 6-inch forward from London, England, and Dazhonetae Bennett, a 6-foot, 3-inch guard from Dayton, Ohio. Moore, Eubanks and Martin-Garcia were named first-team all-Region 16, and Bennett was named to the second team. As one of the top five players in the region, Moore is eligible to be nominated for NJCAA All-American status, according to region officials.
“This is a tremendous honor for these young men. They are very deserving,” Grizzly Basketball Head Coach Yancey Walker said.
For the season, Moore averaged 12.7 points, 6.4 assists, 2.5 rebounds and 1.3 steals per game. Against region opponents, he averaged 11.4 points, 2.0 rebounds and 6.5 assists. He also set the program record for most assists in a game (16 against Highland, Kansas, Community College on Dec. 13, 2014), and the second highest number of assists in a game (14 against State Fair Community College on Jan. 20, 2015) and third most free throws in a game (17 against Eastern Oklahoma State College on Jan. 6, 2015).
“Jameel has certainly put his stamp on the program with the records he’s set,” the coach added. “He is probably one of the best passers this program has ever had. As I’ve said before, what sets him apart is that, in many of the games in which he was our leading scorer or scored in double figures, he also led us in assists. That hasn’t been done since Lonnie Hayes was here.”
Eubanks averaged 12.7 points, 4.5 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 1.3 steals per game for the season. Against region opponents, he averaged 15.4 points, 3.8 rebounds and 2.13 assists.
“Craig is the perfect example of a blue collar player,” Walker said. “As a freshman, he had to play the four position for us at times. As a sophomore, he would have games where he led us in points and assists or in points and rebounds. He did it all for us and was a big part of our success. I am very proud of what he has accomplished.”
Martin-Garcia averaged 12.4 points and 7.5 rebounds for the season and 13.5 points and 6.8 rebounds against region opponents.
“We could tell that Terrel was special from the first time we saw him on video,” the coach said. “Sometimes very talented young men accomplish everything on their talent alone. Terrel is a gym rat. If we hear someone working out in the arena from our office, it’s a good bet that Terrel is getting shots up working on his game. Some people deserve success, and Terrel is one of those people.”
Bennett averaged 12.8 points, 2.8 rebounds, 1.1 assist and one steal per game for the season. In six games against region opponents, he averaged 10 points and 2.7 rebounds.
“Dazhonetae is an extremely talented young man,” Walker said. “I firmly believe that had he not been injured against Mineral Area, we would have had another student-athlete on the first team.”
Anthony Virdure of Mineral Area College, Park Hills, Missouri, was named the Region 16 Player of the Year. Other first team all-region honorees included Justas Furmanavicius and Torry Butler of Three Rivers College, Poplar Bluff, Missouri; Rashad Lindsey and Travon Williams of Moberly (Missouri) Area Community College; and Greg Tucker and Randy Holmes of Mineral Area.
Other second team all-region honorees included Donta Jones of Moberly; Josh Bailey of State Fair; Jemeereo Spain of Three Rivers; and Jamal McDowell of Mineral Area.
For more information about the Grizzly Basketball team, including complete statistics from the games, visit wp.missouristate.edu/grizzly/bb/.