Cougars tabbed preseason No. 1 by Street & Smith

Cougars tabbed preseason No. 1 by Street & Smith
The Barton County Community College men's basketball team has been tabbed as the preseason No. 1 team in the country byStreet & Smith Magazine. The Cougars, 22-10 last season, were picked ahead of Chipola (Fla.) Junior College and Lon Morris (Texas) College.

Barton County sophomore Robert Whaley was selected as a 1st team All-American as well as the Junior College Player-of-the-Year by the publication. Whaley, who verbally committed to the University of Cincinnati for next season, averaged 17 points and 7 rebounds a game last year. During conference play he improved that to 19 points and 7 boards.

Seward County was picked 20th in the poll and the Saints sophomore center DeVonne Giles was a 4th team All-American pick. Colby sophomore post Dedric Spooner was a 5th team selection.

Street & Smith Preseason Top 25
1. Barton County Community College (22-10)
2. Chipola (Fla.) Junior College (18-12)
3. Lon Morris (Texas) College (29-7)
4. Okaloosa-Walton (Fla.) Community College (25-4)
5. Los Angeles City College (30-9)
6. Dixie State (Utah) College (35-3)
7. Arkansas-Fort Smith (28-6)
8. Southeastern Iowa Community College (25-10)
9. Vincennes (Ind.) University (21-10)
10. Atlanta Metropolitan College (17-13)
11. South Plains (Texas) College (30-5)
12. Allegany College of Maryland (32-4)
13. Schoolcraft (Mich.) College (35-1)
14. Wabash Valley (Ill.) College (32-6)
15. City College of San Francisco (33-2)
16. College of Southern Idaho (26-6)
17. San Jacinto (Texas) College (30-2)
18. Georgia Perimeter College (29-3)
19. Southeastern Illinois College (27-6)
20. Seward County (Kan.) Community College (28-6)
21. Shelton State (Ala.) Community College (32-5)
22. Indian Hills (Iowa) Community College (29-5)
23. Redlands (Okla.) Community College (30-5)
24. Southwest Missouri State-West Plains (25-7)
25. (tie) Kankakee (Ill.) Community College (22-12)
25. (tie) Saddleback (Calif.) Community College (33-4)

Street & Smith Preseason All-Americans 
Player of the Year
Robert Whaley, 6-10, Barton County

1st Team
Robert Whaley, 6-10, Barton County
Nate Daniels, 6-8, Broward (Fla.)
Diego Romero, 6-10, Lon Morris (Texas)
Jimmy Inglis, 6-9, Globe Tech (NY)
Nick Williams, 6-4, Chipola (Fla.)

2nd Team
Chris Adams, 6-11, City College of San Francisco
Aaron Curtis, 6-5, Lon Morris (Texas)
Richard Jeter, 6-5, Atlanta Metropolitan
Julian Sensley, 6-9, Southern Nevada
Jeff Varem, 6-6, Vincennes (Ind.)

3rd Team
Jerel Blassingame, 5-10, Los Angeles City College
Travis Degroot, 6-2, New Mexico Military
Darris Manciel, 6-11, Arkansas-Fort Smith
Chris Williams, 6-6, Hill (Texas) College
Justin Williams, 6-10, Kankakee (Ill.)

4th Team
Roy Booker, 6-2, Allen County (Kan.)
DeVonne Giles, 6-8, Seward County (Kan.)
Steve Moore, 6-3, Eastern Oklahoma State
Filiberto Rivera, 6-1, Southeastern Iowa
Juemichael Young, 6-3, Chipola (Fla.)

5th Team
Cecil Hood, 6-2, Arkansas-Fort Smith
Carlos Hurt, 6-1, Wabash Valley (Ill.)
Hank Rivers, 6-8, Southeast Nebraska
Tre Simmons, 6-6, Odessa (Texas) College
Dedric Spooner, 6-8, Colby (Kan.)
Donell Taylor, 6-6, Okaloosa-Walton (Fla.)

Notes
* - Chipola, the No. 2 ranked team, is coached by former Barton County coach Ryan Cross.
* - Arkansas-Fort Smith was formerly known as WestArk.
* - Street & Smith ranks the California junior colleges in its information. California junior colleges are not members of the NJCAA. California junior colleges have their own separate state championship.
* - Dixie State is the defending National Champions.

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