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2005-06 Cougars Unity Do not divide our house. Washington State University Basketball 2005-06 23 2005-06 Outlook Experienced youth may sound like an oxymoron, but it will likely be the key to success for the Washington State University men’s basketball team in 2005-06. Six of the Cougar returnees are true sophomores and they combined to make 53 starts during their fi rst season on the Palouse. At the head of the sophomore class is Derrick Low who started 22 games at point guard in 2004-05. The Honolulu native is tops among returnees in scoring average, assists, steals, free throw percentage and 3-point fi eld goal percentage. “We will look for more leadership and aggressiveness on both ends of the fl oor from Derrick,” WSU Head Coach Dick Bennett said. “That will determine the type of year he has individually and we have collectively as a team.” Low as well as the other guards will be asked to replace the scoring of Thomas Kelati who fi nished his career with 1,081 points, 18th best in WSU history. Kyle Weaver, a Beloit, Wis., native appeared in 25 games last season, including 10 starts. He played point guard when Low was out early in the season due to injury. “Weaver is one of our better passers and has the ability to post,” Bennett said. “He had some very good stretches as a freshman and as his consistency improves he will be hard to keep off the fl oor.” Other returning guards include sophomore Josh Akognon (Petaluma, Calif.) and senior Randy Green (Renton). Akognon appeared in 27 games off the bench last season and shot 31 percent from beyond the arc. Green is the only Cougar who has been on campus more than one season and is a 33 percent career shooter from 3-point range. Washington State added depth to the perimeter with the addition of freshman Chris Matthews (Washington, D.C.) and junior transfers Antonio Chavers (Fort Worth, Texas) and Kyle Weaver 24 Washington State University Basketball 2005-06 2005-06 Outlook Rodney Edgerson (Peoria, Ill.). Edgerson’s offensive credentials are the most impressive among the trio. He averaged 24.6 points per game during his sophomore campaign at Illinois Central College. Sophomore Robbie Cowgill will be a key to the Cougars inside game. In 2004-05, he started 19 games while playing out of position. The Austin, Texas native was forced to move from forward to center because of an injury to Shami Gill. Cowgill responded with 27 blocked shots, second most by a freshman in WSU history. The Cougars would like the luxury of moving the 6-foot-10 Cowgill back to forward. “If one of the two freshmen (Aron Baynes or Caleb Forrest) or (sophomore) Chris Henry can step in and play in the middle, then we can look at moving Cowgill to forward,” Bennett said. Baynes has played four years of organized basketball. At 6-foot-10, 247 pounds, the Cairns, Australia native brings international experience and a big body to Pullman. Forrest comes to the Cougars from Pagosa Springs, Colo. He averaged 20 points and eight rebounds as a senior and was named “Mr. 3A Basketball” by The Rocky Mountain News. Henry was sidelined due to injuries that cost him half of his freshman season. If healthy, he provides the Cougars a physical presence inside. The Cougars lack depth at the forward position with Daven Harmeling the only returnee who saw signifi cant Robbie Cowgill playing time there last season. Harmeling (Grand Junction, Colo.) played in 26 games and made one start. He has the the Spokane Arena, Nov. 22 and travel to Gonzaga, Dec. 8. ability to stretch the defense with his perimeter shooting. Washington State’s remaining fi ve nonconference home Junior transfer Ivory Clark (New Orleans) and invited games will be played in Pullman against UC Riverside (Nov. freshman walk-on Steve Campbell (Kenmore) were added in 19), Idaho (Nov. 26), Wyoming (Nov. 30), Kansas State (Dec. the offseason. 3) and Portland (Dec. 17). The Cougars will play a road game Clark averaged 13.2 points and 7.1 rebounds at Midland against San Diego State (Dec. 10). (Texas) College last season. He has shot blocking ability and “I like our schedule,” Bennett said. “It’s a good can guard multiple positions on the defensive end. Campbell nonconference schedule with a chance for our students and helped lead Inglemoor High to a fi fth place fi nish in the alumni see us play against quality opponents throughout the Washington 4A State Tournament last season. state.” The 2005-06 Cougar schedule will feature eight of nine The Cougars open Pacifi c-10 action at the Spokane Arena nonconference games in the Evergreen State. Washington against Arizona, Dec. 29. Following the 18-game league State hosts Utah in the inaugural Cougar Hardwood Classic, schedule, all 10 teams will advance to the Pacifi c Life Pacifi c- Dec. 22 at Seattle’s KeyArena. The Cougars will host BYU at 10 Conference Tournament at Staples Center in Los Angeles, Washington State University Basketball 2005-06 25 2005-06 Outlook March 8-11. “The league will improve its overall quality once again,” Bennett said. “My fi rst year in the league, it was mediocre. Last year it was good. This year it will be very good. I think the upper division will be tighter and it will be tougher top to bottom compared to last year.” Josh Akognon BY CLASS BY POSITION SENIOR (1) GUARDS (8) Randy Green* G 6-3 190 Josh Akognon 5-10 198 SO Steve Campbell 6-4 186 FR JUNIORS (3) Antonio Chavers* 6-1 195 JR Rodney Edgerson 6-4 180 JR Antonio Chavers* G 6-1 195 Randy Green* 6-3 190 SR Ivory Clark F 6-5 212 Derrick Low 6-1 186 SO Rodney Edgerson G 6-4 180 Chris Matthews 6-3 198 FR Kyle Weaver 6-5 185 SO SOPHOMORES (6) Josh Akognon G 5-10 198 FORWARDS/CENTERS (6) Robbie Cowgill C 6-10 207 Aron Baynes 6-10 247 FR Daven Harmeling F 6-7 216 Ivory Clark 6-5 212 JR Chris Henry C 6-8 257 Robbie Cowgill 6-10 207 SO Derrick Low G 6-1 186 Caleb Forrest 6-8 202 FR Kyle Weaver G 6-5 185 Daven Harmeling 6-7 216 SO Chris Henry 6-9 257 SO FRESHMEN (4) *Used Redshirt Aron Baynes C 6-10 247 Steve Campbell G 6-4 186 Caleb Forrest C 6-8 202 Chris Matthews G 6-3 198 Derrick Low 26 Washington State University Basketball 2005-06 2005-06 Roster ALPHABETICAL ROSTER NO. NAME POS. HT. WT. YR. EXP. HOMETOWN (LAST SCHOOL) 1 Josh Akognon G 5-10 198 SO 1V Petaluma, Calif. (Casa Grande HS) 11 Aron Baynes C 6-10 247 FR HS Cairns, Australia (Cairns State HS) 3 Steve Campbell G 6-4 186 FR HS Kenmore, Wash. (Inglemoor HS) 23 Antonio Chavers G 6-1 195 JR* TR Fort Worth, Texas (Tyler JC) 33 Ivory Clark F 6-5 212 JR TR New Orleans, La. (Midland College) 34 Robbie Cowgill C 6-10 207 SO 1V Austin, Texas (Westwood HS) 44 Rodney Edgerson G 6-4 180 JR TR Peoria, Ill. (Illinois Central College) 52 Caleb Forrest C 6-8 202 FR HS Pagosa Springs, Colo. (Pagosa Springs HS) 12 Randy Green G 6-3 190 SR* 3V Renton, Wash. (Rainier Beach HS) 32 Daven Harmeling F 6-7 216 SO 1V Grand Junction, Colo. (Fruita Monument HS) 42 Chris Henry C 6-8 257 SO 1V Santa Ana, Calif. (Mater Dei HS) 2 Derrick Low G 6-1 186 SO 1V Honolulu, Hawaii (Iolani School) 5 Chris Matthews G 6-3 198 FR HS Washington D.C. (Lutheran Christian Academy) 25 Kyle Weaver G 6-5 185 SO 1V Beloit, Wis. (Beloit Memorial HS) NUMERICAL ROSTER NO. NAME POS. HT. WT. YR. EXP. HOMETOWN (LAST SCHOOL) 1 Josh Akognon G 5-10 198 SO 1V Petaluma, Calif. (Casa Grande HS) 2 Derrick Low G 6-1 186 SO 1V Honolulu, Hawaii (Iolani School) 3 Steve Campbell G 6-4 186 FR HS Kenmore, Wash. (Inglemoor HS) 5 Chris Matthews G 6-3 198 FR HS Washington D.C. (Lutheran Christian Academy) 11 Aron Baynes C 6-10 247 FR HS Cairns, Australia (Cairns State HS) 12 Randy Green G 6-3 190 SR* 3V Renton, Wash. (Rainier Beach HS) 23 Antonio Chavers G 6-1 195 JR* TR Fort Worth, Texas (Tyler JC) 25 Kyle Weaver G 6-5 185 SO 1V Beloit, Wis. (Beloit Memorial HS) 32 Daven Harmeling F 6-7 216 SO 1V Grand Junction, Colo. (Fruita Monument HS) 33 Ivory Clark F 6-5 212 JR TR New Orleans, La. (Midland College) 34 Robbie Cowgill C 6-10 207 SO 1V Austin, Texas (Westwood HS) 42 Chris Henry C 6-8 257 SO 1V Santa Ana, Calif. (Mater Dei HS) 44 Rodney Edgerson G 6-4 180 JR TR Peoria, Ill. (Illinois Central College) 52 Caleb Forrest C 6-8 202 FR HS Pagosa Springs, Colo. (Pagosa Springs HS) *used redshirt season Head Coach: Dick Bennett (Ripon College, 1965), 3rd year Associate Head Coach: Tony Bennett (Wisconsin-Green Bay, 1992), 3rd year Assistant Coaches: Mike Heideman (Wisconsin-La Crosse, 1971), 3rd year, Ben Johnson (Wisconsin-Green Bay, 1992), 2nd year Coordinator of Basketball Operations: Ron Sanchez (State University of New York, College of Oneonta, 1997), 3rd year PRONUNCIATION GUIDE: Uh-KOY-un (Akognon) AIR-un (Aron) CHAY-vers (Chavers) EDGE-er-SON (Edgerson) KAY-lebb (Caleb) DAY-Ven (Daven) Washington State University Basketball 2005-06 27 2005-06 Cougars Career Highs PTS: 22 vs.