Ottumwa -- Indian Hills broke open a tight game with a 9-0 spurt in the first half and then used a 23-2 run early in the second half in posting their fourth straight win to begin the season, a 109-56 pasting of visiting Mid Michigan CC on Thursday night.
The Warriors turned a 26-19 lead into a 35-19 advantage on five free throws and a pair of baskets by Dustin Hogue. After MMCC's DeOndra Callahan scored four straight points, the Warriors' Jameel McKay hit a bucket to build the lead to 14 and that's where it was at halftime.
Indian Hills ran away from the visitors at the start of the second half, using their trademark press to force numerous turnovers, many of which they converted into easy baskets.
Thirteen straight points by IHCC were interrupted by a Mid Michigan field goal, and the Warriors then ran off 10 more points to double the score on the Lakers at 72-36.
Michael Haynes, McKay and Hogue all scored 15 points for the Warriors, who improved to 4-0 on the season. MMCC had only double-figure scorer -- Jake Blake with 10.
Indian Hills will host the Reed Overhead Doors Classic this weekend, starting with a game against John Wood CC on Friday night.
INDIAN HILLS 109, MID MICHIGAN 56
INDIAN HILLS Brandon Spearman 4 0-0 9, Gary Ricks 1 1-2 3, DeAndray Buckley 1 3-4 6, Michael Haynes 7 1-4 15, D.J. Bennett 3 0-0 6, Kieran Woods 2 3-3 7, Jameel McKay 6 3-7 15, Frank Williams 4 2-2 12, Dustin Hogue 7 0-1 15, Ronnie Stevens 0 1-3 1, Trinson White 1 4-4 7, Devin Delaney 3 0-0 6, Roderick Bobbitt 3 1-1 7, Gary Ross 0 0-0 0 Team 42 19-31 109
MID MICHIGAN Sheldon Lowman 2 5-5 9, DeOndra Callahan 2 4-4 9, Williams Sams, Jr. 0 4-6 4, Jake Blake 5 0-2, Allen Seales 0 0-0 , Branden Robinson 2 2-7 7, Kyle Gross 0 0-0 0, Lance Maney 0 4-4 4, Dwayne Cureton 2 0-0 4, Matt Loomis 0 1-2 1, Tony Larkins 0 0-0 0, Austin Irrer 3 1-1 8 Team 16 21-31 56
Halftime score: Indian Hills 46, Mid Michigan 32; Three-point field goals: IHCC 6 (Williams 2, Spearman, Buckley, Hogue, White 1), MMCC 3 (Callahan, Robinson, Irrer 1)
Friday, November 11, 2011
Wednesday, November 9, 2011
Warriors Pass First Road Test
Sedalia, MO -- Indian Hills coach Barret Peery was anxious to see how his team would respond to its first road game after his Warriors opened the season with back-to-back homecourt wins. And he had to be pleased with the Warriors' play in a 91-86 win at State Fair CC on Tuesday night.
The game wasn't decided until IHCC's Brandon Spearman hit two free throws with 1.1 seconds on the clock. Spearman's foul shots came after teammate Jameel McKay hit one of two free throws with 16.1 seconds left.
State Fair then had two chances to get to within one point, but missed both shots before Spearman was fouled and iced the win.
With the Warriors leading by four at 88-84, SFCC's Kenny Chery, who led all scorers with 31 points, stole a pass and made a layup to cut the lead in half. State Fair then got another steal in the IHCC backcourt, but couldn't score from in close and McKay rebounded the miss. That's when he hit one free throw to make it a three-point game.
The game was tight throughout with 12 ties and six lead changes. The Warriors owned the biggest lead of the night when Frank Williams hit consecutive field goals to build a 42-34 advantage. Chery's late first-half bucket cut the lead to two at the half.
State Fair had a couple of brief leads in the second half. With the game tied, Spearman scored on a driving layup to give IHCC the lead for good at 70-68. Williams nailed a three-pointer in transition to make it 78-72 with around five minutes to play, but again, the Roadrunners came back.
They were within a point after a Michael Bradley free throw with just over four minutes remaining. Michael Haynes had two big baskets for the Warriors and McKay added a layup off a steal to help Indian Hills hold on.
Spearman led the IHCC scoring with 19 points and Haynes added 15.
Indian Hills plays three more games this week, all at home, starting with a contest against Mid Michigan CC on Thursday night.
INDIAN HILLS 91, STATE FAIR 86
INDIAN HILLS Brandon Spearman 7 4-4 19, Gary Ricks 2 2-2 7, DeAndray Buckley 2 2-2 7, Michael Haynes 6 3-4 15, D.J. Bennett 0 0-0 0, Kieran Woods 5 2-4 14, Jameel McKay 3 2-4 8, Frank Williams 5 0-0 12, Ronnie Stevens 0 0-0 0, Roderick Bobbitt 4 1-2 9, Rawane Ndiaye 0 0-0 0 Team 34 16-22 91
STATE FAIR Kenny Chery 11 9-10 31, Fred Wilson 5 6-10 17, Ayodele Ojo 2 2-4 6, Antonin Galaya 2 4-4 10, Michael Bradley 5 3-4 13, Lucas Kidane 1 0-0 2, Charles Beard 0 2-2 2, D'Angelo Tucker 1 2-2 5 Team 27 28-36 86
Halftime score: Indian Hills 46, State Fair 44; Three-point field goals: IHCC 7 (Williams, Woods 2, Spearman, Ricks, Buckley 1; SFCC 4 (Galaya 2, Wilson, Tucker 1)
The game wasn't decided until IHCC's Brandon Spearman hit two free throws with 1.1 seconds on the clock. Spearman's foul shots came after teammate Jameel McKay hit one of two free throws with 16.1 seconds left.
State Fair then had two chances to get to within one point, but missed both shots before Spearman was fouled and iced the win.
With the Warriors leading by four at 88-84, SFCC's Kenny Chery, who led all scorers with 31 points, stole a pass and made a layup to cut the lead in half. State Fair then got another steal in the IHCC backcourt, but couldn't score from in close and McKay rebounded the miss. That's when he hit one free throw to make it a three-point game.
The game was tight throughout with 12 ties and six lead changes. The Warriors owned the biggest lead of the night when Frank Williams hit consecutive field goals to build a 42-34 advantage. Chery's late first-half bucket cut the lead to two at the half.
State Fair had a couple of brief leads in the second half. With the game tied, Spearman scored on a driving layup to give IHCC the lead for good at 70-68. Williams nailed a three-pointer in transition to make it 78-72 with around five minutes to play, but again, the Roadrunners came back.
They were within a point after a Michael Bradley free throw with just over four minutes remaining. Michael Haynes had two big baskets for the Warriors and McKay added a layup off a steal to help Indian Hills hold on.
Spearman led the IHCC scoring with 19 points and Haynes added 15.
Indian Hills plays three more games this week, all at home, starting with a contest against Mid Michigan CC on Thursday night.
INDIAN HILLS 91, STATE FAIR 86
INDIAN HILLS Brandon Spearman 7 4-4 19, Gary Ricks 2 2-2 7, DeAndray Buckley 2 2-2 7, Michael Haynes 6 3-4 15, D.J. Bennett 0 0-0 0, Kieran Woods 5 2-4 14, Jameel McKay 3 2-4 8, Frank Williams 5 0-0 12, Ronnie Stevens 0 0-0 0, Roderick Bobbitt 4 1-2 9, Rawane Ndiaye 0 0-0 0 Team 34 16-22 91
STATE FAIR Kenny Chery 11 9-10 31, Fred Wilson 5 6-10 17, Ayodele Ojo 2 2-4 6, Antonin Galaya 2 4-4 10, Michael Bradley 5 3-4 13, Lucas Kidane 1 0-0 2, Charles Beard 0 2-2 2, D'Angelo Tucker 1 2-2 5 Team 27 28-36 86
Halftime score: Indian Hills 46, State Fair 44; Three-point field goals: IHCC 7 (Williams, Woods 2, Spearman, Ricks, Buckley 1; SFCC 4 (Galaya 2, Wilson, Tucker 1)
Sunday, November 6, 2011
Warriors Down Highland, Go to 2-0
Ottumwa -- The 9th-ranked Indian Hills Warriors completed a season-opening sweep of their two games in the Jack Blackwell Tire Company Classic on Saturday night, holding off a late rally to upend Highland (Ill.) CC, 89-75, at the Hellyer Center.
Indian Hills was finally able to put some distance between themselves and the visiting Cougars by grabbing a 79-59 lead in the second half. Highland then provided some anxious moments as they quickly cut the deficit to 80-69. But HCC couldn't score on a possession that would have cut the IHCC lead to single digits and the Warriors went on to notch their second straight win to open the 2011-12 campaign.
The Cougars took an 18-11 first half lead, hitting two of their four 3-pointers for the game to jump ahead. The Warriors went ahead on a Michael Haynes basket at 21-20 and Roderick Bobbitt gave IHCC the lead for good with a three that broke a 23-all tie.
The Warriors outscored HCC, 11-3 to start the second half and never led by fewer than 10 points the rest of the night.
Jameel McKay helped to jump-start the IHCC offense with 13 first-half points and he led the Warriors' scoring with 20. Haynes added 13 and Buckley chipped in 12. Parker paced Highland with 16.
Indian Hills goes on the road for the first time on Tuesday night when the Warriors battle State Fair CC in Sedalia, Missouri. They will play four games in five nights next week with the final three games in consecutive nights at home.
INDIAN HILLS 89, HIGHLAND 75
INDIAN HILLS Brandon Spearman 1 3-6 5, Gary Ricks 2 0-0 6, DeAndray Buckley 3 5-5 12, Michael Haynes 6 1-1 13, D.J. Bennett 3 0-0 6, Kieran Woods 3 1-2 9, Jameel McKay 7 6-10, Dustin Hogue 2 1-3 5, Ronnie Stevens 1 1-2 3, Trinson White 0 0-0 0, Roderick Bobbitt 2 3-5 8, Rawane Ndiaye 1 0-0 2 Team 31 21-34 89
HIGHLAND Tre' Burnette 4 0-0 9, Deonte Jones 3 2-2 10, Demetrius Tolliver 3 1-1 7, Kris Sereme 1 0-0 2, Michael Ochereobia 2 1-2 5, Joseph Danforth 1 2-6 5, Aaron Nelson 7 1-2 15, Jeremy Parker 4 8-9 16, Samuel Ford 2 1-2 5, Tariq Qaasim 1 0-0 2 Team 27 16-24 75
Halftime score: Indian Hills 38, Highland 33; Three-point field goals: IHCC 6 (Ricks, Woods 2, Buckley, Bobbitt 1), HCC 4 (Jones 2, Burnette, Danforth 1)
Indian Hills was finally able to put some distance between themselves and the visiting Cougars by grabbing a 79-59 lead in the second half. Highland then provided some anxious moments as they quickly cut the deficit to 80-69. But HCC couldn't score on a possession that would have cut the IHCC lead to single digits and the Warriors went on to notch their second straight win to open the 2011-12 campaign.
The Cougars took an 18-11 first half lead, hitting two of their four 3-pointers for the game to jump ahead. The Warriors went ahead on a Michael Haynes basket at 21-20 and Roderick Bobbitt gave IHCC the lead for good with a three that broke a 23-all tie.
The Warriors outscored HCC, 11-3 to start the second half and never led by fewer than 10 points the rest of the night.
Jameel McKay helped to jump-start the IHCC offense with 13 first-half points and he led the Warriors' scoring with 20. Haynes added 13 and Buckley chipped in 12. Parker paced Highland with 16.
Indian Hills goes on the road for the first time on Tuesday night when the Warriors battle State Fair CC in Sedalia, Missouri. They will play four games in five nights next week with the final three games in consecutive nights at home.
INDIAN HILLS 89, HIGHLAND 75
INDIAN HILLS Brandon Spearman 1 3-6 5, Gary Ricks 2 0-0 6, DeAndray Buckley 3 5-5 12, Michael Haynes 6 1-1 13, D.J. Bennett 3 0-0 6, Kieran Woods 3 1-2 9, Jameel McKay 7 6-10, Dustin Hogue 2 1-3 5, Ronnie Stevens 1 1-2 3, Trinson White 0 0-0 0, Roderick Bobbitt 2 3-5 8, Rawane Ndiaye 1 0-0 2 Team 31 21-34 89
HIGHLAND Tre' Burnette 4 0-0 9, Deonte Jones 3 2-2 10, Demetrius Tolliver 3 1-1 7, Kris Sereme 1 0-0 2, Michael Ochereobia 2 1-2 5, Joseph Danforth 1 2-6 5, Aaron Nelson 7 1-2 15, Jeremy Parker 4 8-9 16, Samuel Ford 2 1-2 5, Tariq Qaasim 1 0-0 2 Team 27 16-24 75
Halftime score: Indian Hills 38, Highland 33; Three-point field goals: IHCC 6 (Ricks, Woods 2, Buckley, Bobbitt 1), HCC 4 (Jones 2, Burnette, Danforth 1)
Saturday, November 5, 2011
Lopsided Win for Warriors to Open Season
Ottumwa -- An early 20-0 run enabled Indian Hills to take control and the No. 9-ranked Warriors went on to rout Indiana Dabney University, 119-57, in IHCC's season opener in the Jack Blackwell Tire Company Classic on Friday night.
The visitors were playing only the second game in the program's history. They had lost an overtime contest to Malcolm X earlier in the week.
They grabbed a 7-3 lead as the Warriors started slowly on the offensive end. But Indian Hills finally got untracked, ran off 20 points in a row and never looked back.
The Warriors put up 101 shots, grabbed 70 rebounds and attempted 36 free throws as 13 of the 15 players who saw action scored.
Dustin Hogue led the way with 20 points for Indian Hills, 13 of them coming in the first half as IHCC opened up a 61-31 lead at intermission.
Hogue was one of six players in double figures. Kieran Woods added 18 points and Michael Haynes 17 for Indian Hills in new head coach Barret Peery's Warrior debut.
Michael Skinner was the lone IDU player in double digits with 10 points.
Indian Hills will take on Highland (Ill.) CC on the second night of the tourney on Saturday night. Highland rallied in the second half to down the William Penn JV, 74-61, in Friday's first game.
INDIAN HILLS 119, INDIANA DABNEY UNIVERSITY 57
INDIAN HILLS Brandon Spearman 4 4-4 12, Gary Ricks, Jr. 0 0-0 0, DeAndray Buckley 1 0-1 4, Michael Haynes 6 4-6 17, D.J. Bennett 5 1-1 11, Kieran Woods 6 5-5 18, Jameel McKay 4 2-4 10, Frank Williams 4 0-0 9, Dustin Hogue 9 2-5 20, Ronnie Stevens 1 0-0 2, Trinson White 1 2-2 5, Devin Delaney 1 2-2 4, Roderick Bobbitt 2 2-2 6, Rawane Ndiaye 0 1-4 1, Gary Ross 0 0-0 0 Team 45 25-36 119
INDIANA DABNEY Brandon Hill 0 0-2 0, Kyle Holmes 4 0-1 8, Sodiq Ayanlaja 1 4-6 6, Steve Hilal 0 0-0 0, Tony Jones 2 0-2 4, Charles Outlaw 1 5-6 7, Michael Skinner 3 3-6 10, Andre Lemott 0 0-0 0, Shawn Starks 2 4-6 8, Jeremy Shedrick 2 2-2 8, Archie Boyd 3 0-6 6 Team 18 18-37 57
Halftime score: Indian Hills 61, Indiana Dabney 31; Three-point field goals: IHCC 4 (Haynes, Woods, Williams,White 1); IDU 3 (Shedrick 2, Skinner 1)
The visitors were playing only the second game in the program's history. They had lost an overtime contest to Malcolm X earlier in the week.
They grabbed a 7-3 lead as the Warriors started slowly on the offensive end. But Indian Hills finally got untracked, ran off 20 points in a row and never looked back.
The Warriors put up 101 shots, grabbed 70 rebounds and attempted 36 free throws as 13 of the 15 players who saw action scored.
Dustin Hogue led the way with 20 points for Indian Hills, 13 of them coming in the first half as IHCC opened up a 61-31 lead at intermission.
Hogue was one of six players in double figures. Kieran Woods added 18 points and Michael Haynes 17 for Indian Hills in new head coach Barret Peery's Warrior debut.
Michael Skinner was the lone IDU player in double digits with 10 points.
Indian Hills will take on Highland (Ill.) CC on the second night of the tourney on Saturday night. Highland rallied in the second half to down the William Penn JV, 74-61, in Friday's first game.
INDIAN HILLS 119, INDIANA DABNEY UNIVERSITY 57
INDIAN HILLS Brandon Spearman 4 4-4 12, Gary Ricks, Jr. 0 0-0 0, DeAndray Buckley 1 0-1 4, Michael Haynes 6 4-6 17, D.J. Bennett 5 1-1 11, Kieran Woods 6 5-5 18, Jameel McKay 4 2-4 10, Frank Williams 4 0-0 9, Dustin Hogue 9 2-5 20, Ronnie Stevens 1 0-0 2, Trinson White 1 2-2 5, Devin Delaney 1 2-2 4, Roderick Bobbitt 2 2-2 6, Rawane Ndiaye 0 1-4 1, Gary Ross 0 0-0 0 Team 45 25-36 119
INDIANA DABNEY Brandon Hill 0 0-2 0, Kyle Holmes 4 0-1 8, Sodiq Ayanlaja 1 4-6 6, Steve Hilal 0 0-0 0, Tony Jones 2 0-2 4, Charles Outlaw 1 5-6 7, Michael Skinner 3 3-6 10, Andre Lemott 0 0-0 0, Shawn Starks 2 4-6 8, Jeremy Shedrick 2 2-2 8, Archie Boyd 3 0-6 6 Team 18 18-37 57
Halftime score: Indian Hills 61, Indiana Dabney 31; Three-point field goals: IHCC 4 (Haynes, Woods, Williams,White 1); IDU 3 (Shedrick 2, Skinner 1)
Monday, October 24, 2011
Warriors Ranked in Preseason Top Ten by NJCAA
Ottumwa -- Even though they weren’t placed in the number-one spot like they were in an earlier preseason poll, the Indian Hills Warriors still garnered a top-ten national ranking in the National Junior College Athletic Association’s preseason Top 20.
The Warriors will enter the 2011-12 season ranked ninth in the NJCAA poll. They were 14th in last year’s preseason poll and finished the season with a 23-10 record. Indian Hills has been in the preseason national ratings nine of the past 11 years.
The Sporting News had Indian Hills No. 1 in its preseason poll released last month.
College of Southern Idaho, the defending national champion, is ranked first in this year’s ratings. Monroe College from New York is second and Midland College from Texas is third.
Two teams the Warriors will play in the regular season are sandwiched around Indian Hills. Howard (TX) College is eighth and Three Rivers (MO) is 10th. They are the only ranked Division I teams on the IHCC schedule. Kirkwood CC, whom the Warriors play twice, is fourth in Division II.
Fans can get an early look at the Indian Hills basketball team at a special “Meet the Warriors” event on Tuesday, October 25, at the Hellyer Student Life Center. The evening’s activities will start at 7:00.
The players will be introduced and then participate in a 3-point shoot-out and dunk contest. The Warriors will also play an intrasquad scrimmage.
The IHCC cheer squad will perform and the basketball team members will be available for autographs at the conclusion of the event.
There will be free admission for the evening. The Warriors open the regular season in the Jack Blackwell Tire Company Classic Nov. 4-5.
The Warriors will enter the 2011-12 season ranked ninth in the NJCAA poll. They were 14th in last year’s preseason poll and finished the season with a 23-10 record. Indian Hills has been in the preseason national ratings nine of the past 11 years.
The Sporting News had Indian Hills No. 1 in its preseason poll released last month.
College of Southern Idaho, the defending national champion, is ranked first in this year’s ratings. Monroe College from New York is second and Midland College from Texas is third.
Two teams the Warriors will play in the regular season are sandwiched around Indian Hills. Howard (TX) College is eighth and Three Rivers (MO) is 10th. They are the only ranked Division I teams on the IHCC schedule. Kirkwood CC, whom the Warriors play twice, is fourth in Division II.
Fans can get an early look at the Indian Hills basketball team at a special “Meet the Warriors” event on Tuesday, October 25, at the Hellyer Student Life Center. The evening’s activities will start at 7:00.
The players will be introduced and then participate in a 3-point shoot-out and dunk contest. The Warriors will also play an intrasquad scrimmage.
The IHCC cheer squad will perform and the basketball team members will be available for autographs at the conclusion of the event.
There will be free admission for the evening. The Warriors open the regular season in the Jack Blackwell Tire Company Classic Nov. 4-5.
Wednesday, October 5, 2011
Meet the Warriors
Ottumwa -- The 2011-12 Indian Hills Community College basketball team will be unveiled at a special “Meet the Warriors Night” on Tuesday, Oct. 25.
The event will start at 7:00 p.m. at the Hellyer Student Life Center. Fans will be treated to a 3-point shoot-out and dunk contest and the Warriors will play an intrasquad scrimmage.
In addition to the IHCC basketball team, ranked No. 1 in the Sporting News preseason poll, the players and coaches of the other athletic teams at Indian Hills will also be introduced and the Cheer Squad will perform.
The players will be available to sign autographs at the conclusion of the scrimmage. There will also be information on joining the IHCC Booster Club.
There will be free admission for the evening. The Warriors open the regular season in the Jack Blackwell Tire Company Classic Nov. 4-5.
Indian Hills coach Barret Peery will get an early look at his team against some very good competition this weekend when the Warriors take part in the Mullens-Mitchell Jamboree in Plano, Texas. The games are treated as scrimmages per NJCAA scheduling rules.
The Warriors will play three Texas schools – South Plains, Midland and Collin – on Friday, and will take on a couple of traditional powers from Kansas in Coffeyville and Hutchinson on Saturday.
The event will start at 7:00 p.m. at the Hellyer Student Life Center. Fans will be treated to a 3-point shoot-out and dunk contest and the Warriors will play an intrasquad scrimmage.
In addition to the IHCC basketball team, ranked No. 1 in the Sporting News preseason poll, the players and coaches of the other athletic teams at Indian Hills will also be introduced and the Cheer Squad will perform.
The players will be available to sign autographs at the conclusion of the scrimmage. There will also be information on joining the IHCC Booster Club.
There will be free admission for the evening. The Warriors open the regular season in the Jack Blackwell Tire Company Classic Nov. 4-5.
Indian Hills coach Barret Peery will get an early look at his team against some very good competition this weekend when the Warriors take part in the Mullens-Mitchell Jamboree in Plano, Texas. The games are treated as scrimmages per NJCAA scheduling rules.
The Warriors will play three Texas schools – South Plains, Midland and Collin – on Friday, and will take on a couple of traditional powers from Kansas in Coffeyville and Hutchinson on Saturday.
Thursday, September 15, 2011
Sporting News Has Warriors No. 1
Ottumwa -- The Indian Hills basketball team will go into the new season with a new coach and a number-one national ranking.
The Warriors are the No. 1 rated junior college team in the country in the Sporting News preseason poll. TSN’s poll includes all schools in the National Junior College Athletic Association as well as those two-year schools in California and Washington that are not part of the NJCAA.
Barret Peery took over the IHCC program after last season and, apparently, as far as the people who put together the preseason rankings are concerned, has put together a talented team.
But Peery acknowledges that the 13 new players on the roster aren’t solely responsible for the lofty ranking. “I know that most of the credit goes to the Indian Hills name and the tradition that’s been built here,” said Peery in talking about the poll.
“Being No. 1 doesn’t mean a lot in September, but I’m excited to know that people recognize the hard work that we have put in to build this team so quickly,” Peery said. “There will be pressure on us from Day 1 with a bulls-eye on our chest.”
But the coach also relishes the fact that the Warriors are in the top spot, saying, “There is always pressure to win and this just heightens the expectations, which is fine with me.”
Peery came to Indian Hills after three years as an assistant coach at the University of Utah. Prior to that, he was the head coach for three years at the College of Southern Idaho, the team that, in a bit of irony, is ranked second in the preseason poll, behind the Warriors.
It is the second time in four years the Warriors will enter the season as the nation’s top-rated team. They were also ranked first at the start of the 2008-09 season and went on to finish 30-3 that year.
Three more players were added to the IHCC roster at the start of the school year. They are Dustin Hogue, a 6-5 wing from Yonkers, New York; Frank Williams, also a 6-5 wing, from Raytown, Missouri; and Rawane Ndiaye, a 6-10 post player from Dakar, Senagal.
Peery describes Hogue as “a tremendous athlete that can play multiple positions at both ends of the floor.”
Williams is “a very good shooter, with great length and a very good basketball IQ,” according to the coach.
And Ndiaye, says Peery, is “a very big-bodied post who gives us depth and size on the inside.”
Indian Hills opens the 2011-12 season against Indiana Dabney University in the Jack Blackwell Tire Co. Classic on Nov. 4.
The Warriors are the No. 1 rated junior college team in the country in the Sporting News preseason poll. TSN’s poll includes all schools in the National Junior College Athletic Association as well as those two-year schools in California and Washington that are not part of the NJCAA.
Barret Peery took over the IHCC program after last season and, apparently, as far as the people who put together the preseason rankings are concerned, has put together a talented team.
But Peery acknowledges that the 13 new players on the roster aren’t solely responsible for the lofty ranking. “I know that most of the credit goes to the Indian Hills name and the tradition that’s been built here,” said Peery in talking about the poll.
“Being No. 1 doesn’t mean a lot in September, but I’m excited to know that people recognize the hard work that we have put in to build this team so quickly,” Peery said. “There will be pressure on us from Day 1 with a bulls-eye on our chest.”
But the coach also relishes the fact that the Warriors are in the top spot, saying, “There is always pressure to win and this just heightens the expectations, which is fine with me.”
Peery came to Indian Hills after three years as an assistant coach at the University of Utah. Prior to that, he was the head coach for three years at the College of Southern Idaho, the team that, in a bit of irony, is ranked second in the preseason poll, behind the Warriors.
It is the second time in four years the Warriors will enter the season as the nation’s top-rated team. They were also ranked first at the start of the 2008-09 season and went on to finish 30-3 that year.
Three more players were added to the IHCC roster at the start of the school year. They are Dustin Hogue, a 6-5 wing from Yonkers, New York; Frank Williams, also a 6-5 wing, from Raytown, Missouri; and Rawane Ndiaye, a 6-10 post player from Dakar, Senagal.
Peery describes Hogue as “a tremendous athlete that can play multiple positions at both ends of the floor.”
Williams is “a very good shooter, with great length and a very good basketball IQ,” according to the coach.
And Ndiaye, says Peery, is “a very big-bodied post who gives us depth and size on the inside.”
Indian Hills opens the 2011-12 season against Indiana Dabney University in the Jack Blackwell Tire Co. Classic on Nov. 4.
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