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MEN’S BASKETBALL PROGRAM RECIEVES COMMITMENTS FROM FOUR STANDOUTS

 

May 28, 2006

 

LA GRANDE, Ore. - After the completion of the most successful men’s basketball season at Eastern Oregon University since 1969 head coach Ryan Looney has announced the signing of four future Mountaineer basketball players.  Josh Landsverk, Dan Blanchard, Nick Finley, and Thomas McCarthy will all be on EOU’s campus this fall.

 

Josh Landsverk, a 6-foot-8, 250 lb. post from Shadle Park High School in Spokane, Wash., will enter Eastern Oregon University as a freshman.   This past season Landsverk averaged 15.7 points and 6.8 rebounds per game, while shooting .580 percent from the field.  He was named First Team All-Greater Spokane League, Honorable Mention All-State, and was named his team’s MVP following both his junior and senior seasons. 

 

“Josh has the size and ability to develop into a great player in the Cascade Collegiate Conference,” said Coach Looney.  “He is skilled on the block and has a soft touch around the basket.  His addition to our program will add much needed depth at the post position.”

 

Dan Blanchard, a 6-foot7, 225 lb. post from Bothell, Wash., will be a junior at Eastern Oregon University next fall.  This past season he attended Mesa Community College in Mesa, Ariz.  Through the first eight games he averaged 12.7 points and 5.1 rebounds per game.  Blanchard’s season was cut short due to injury.  Prior to that he played his freshman season at Tacoma (Wash.) Community College.  During that season he averaged 14.2 points and 5.2 rebounds per game, while connecting on .439 of his three point field goal attempts.      

 

Blanchard attended Bothell High School in Bothell, Washington.  During his senior year he averaged 14.9 points and 6.1 rebounds per game.  He was named First Team All-King County, Honorable Mention All-State, and was rated as the ninth best forward in the State of Washington by Northwesthoops.com.

 

“One of our biggest needs in the recruiting process was the addition of a post that had the ability to stretch defenses.  We feel like we have addressed that with the addition of Dan Blanchard,” said Coach Looney.  “Dan will create mismatch problems for a number of our opponents next season.  He is unique in the fact that he has a big body, but also possesses good perimeter skills and a pure three point shot.”

 

Nick Finley, a 5-foot-11, 190 lb. point guard from Creswell, Ore. is transferring to Eastern Oregon University.  He will be a junior this fall.  The past two years he attended Chemeketa Community College in Salem, where he was the starting point guard.  During his two seasons his team complied a 46-18 overall record and 24-4 conference mark.  This past season Finley averaged 7.7 points, 6.4 assists, 3.8 rebounds, and 2.5 steals per game and represented the Southern Division at the NWAACC All-Star game.    He also had an amazing 2.25 assist to turnover ratio. 

 

Finley attended Creswell High School in Creswell, Ore.  During his senior year he led his team to an Oregon 3A State Championship.  His final season at Creswell High School he averaged 18.1 points and 6.0 assists per game.  For his efforts he was named First Team All Sky-Em Conference, Sky-Em Conference MVP, First Team All-State, State Tournament MVP, and Oregon 3A State Player of the Year.  Finley was also rated as the fourth best point guard in the State of Oregon by Northwesthoops.com.

“Nick Finley has as much toughness as any player out there,” said Coach Looney.  “He has won at every level he has played.  We thought it was important to add another point guard that can defend and run our team.  There is no question that Nick Finley can do that.”

 

Thomas McCarthy is a six-foot combo guard from Crook County High School in Prineville, Ore. and will enter Eastern Oregon University as a freshman.  This past season McCarthy averaged 21.2 points per game and shot .431 from the three point line.  At the completion of his senior season he was named First Team All-Intermountain Conference, Intermountain Conference Co-MVP, and Third Team All-State.

 

“Thomas can shoot as well as anybody we identified all year.  He will be very valuable to us because he is different than a lot of our current players,” said Coach Looney.  “Thomas is smaller than some of our other wings, which will allow us the opportunity to give opponents different looks.  His addition gives us another player that will allow us to stretch defenses.” 

 

Eastern Oregon University is coming of a 17-11 season, which was the sixth best year in program history.  The four newcomers will join a group of eleven returning student-athletes.

 

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