2008–09 Oakland Golden Grizzlies men's basketball team
Encyclopedia
The 2008–2009 Oakland Golden Grizzlies men's basketball team was a National Collegiate Athletic Association
Division I college basketball
team representing Oakland University
.
Oakland was picked to finish third in The Summit League's preseason poll. was voted to finish first and North Dakota State
second. However, only eight votes separated the three teams. Senior forward Derick Nelson and junior guard Johnathon Jones were named to the Preseason All-League First Team. Senior guard Erik Kangas was named to the Second Team.
Prior to the first game of the year against Cleveland State
, senior forward Derick Nelson suffered a foot injury and sat out most of the season. Nelson played in two games against and Michigan State, but did not record a point and took a medical redshirt
. Oakland lost their first game against CSU and defeated Pacific-10 Conference opponent Oregon for the second year in a row.
* Redshirt
ing 2008–2009 season
National Collegiate Athletic Association
The National Collegiate Athletic Association is a semi-voluntary association of 1,281 institutions, conferences, organizations and individuals that organizes the athletic programs of many colleges and universities in the United States...
Division I college basketball
College basketball
College basketball most often refers to the USA basketball competitive governance structure established by the National Collegiate Athletic Association . Basketball in the NCAA is divided into three divisions: Division I, Division II and Division III....
team representing Oakland University
Oakland University
Oakland University is a public university co-founded by Matilda Dodge Wilson and John A. Hannah whose campus is located in central Oakland County, Michigan, United States in the cities of Auburn Hills and Rochester Hills. It is the only major research university in Oakland County, from which OU...
.
Oakland was picked to finish third in The Summit League's preseason poll. was voted to finish first and North Dakota State
2008–09 North Dakota State Bison men's basketball team
The 2008–09 North Dakota State Bison men's basketball team represents North Dakota State University. The Head Coach is Saul Phillips. The team plays its home games in the Bison Sports Arena in Fargo, North Dakota, and is a member of the Summit League...
second. However, only eight votes separated the three teams. Senior forward Derick Nelson and junior guard Johnathon Jones were named to the Preseason All-League First Team. Senior guard Erik Kangas was named to the Second Team.
Prior to the first game of the year against Cleveland State
2008-09 Cleveland State Vikings men's basketball team
The 2008–09 Cleveland State Vikings men's basketball team represents Cleveland State University in the 2008-09 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The team was led by third-year head coach Gary Waters. In 2007–08, the Vikings finished 21–13...
, senior forward Derick Nelson suffered a foot injury and sat out most of the season. Nelson played in two games against and Michigan State, but did not record a point and took a medical redshirt
Redshirt (college sports)
Redshirt is a term used in American college athletics that refers to a delay or suspension of an athlete's participation in order to lengthen his or her period of eligibility...
. Oakland lost their first game against CSU and defeated Pacific-10 Conference opponent Oregon for the second year in a row.
Roster
| No. | Name | Pos. | Height | Weight | Year | Hometown (Previous school) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 34 | Keith Benson Keith Benson Keith A. Benson, Jr. is a professional basketball player for the Atlanta Hawks of the NBA. He previously played for the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Oakland Golden Grizzlies men's basketball team. Benson plays center and is the current The Summit League player of the year... |
C | 6'11" | 225 | So. | Farmington Hills, MI (Country Day Detroit Country Day School Detroit Country Day School is a private, secular school located in four campuses in Oakland County, Michigan, north of Detroit. The administrative offices, facility services, safety and security services, and the upper school are located in a campus in Beverly Hills, along with the middle school... ) |
| 21 | Ricky Bieszki | G | 6'2" | 190 | Sr. | Shelby Township, MI Shelby Charter Township, Michigan -Demographics:The U.S. Census Bureau has also defined Shelby Township as a census-designated place in the 2000 Census so that the community would appear on the list of places as well on the list of county subdivisions... (Notre Dame Preparatory) |
| 22 | Blake Cushingberry | G | 6'4" | 225 | Fr. | Romeo, MI (Romeo) |
| 4 | Will Hudson | F | 6'9" | 225 | So. | Madison, WI (Middleton Middleton High School (Middleton, Wisconsin) Middleton High School is a comprehensive public secondary school in the Middleton-Cross Plains Area School District. Established in 1879, it is located in the city of Middleton, Wisconsin. The school serves more than 2,000 students in grades 9-12 from the Middleton and Cross Plains areas. Middleton... ) |
| 23 | Johnathon Jones | G | 5'11" | 165 | Jr. | Okemos, MI (Okemos Okemos High School Okemos High School is a public high school in Okemos, Michigan, USA. It is the only high school in the Okemos Public Schools district. It is located southeast of the main campus of Michigan State University, between Bennett and Jolly Roads on the North and South, and Hulett and Hagadorn Roads on... ) |
| 30 | Erik Kangas | G | 6'3" | 205 | Sr. | DeWitt, MI (DeWitt) |
| 32 | John Kast | G | 6'2" | 175 | Jr. | Clarkston, MI (Clarkston) |
| 31 | Drew Maynard | G | 6'7" | 220 | Fr. | Lake Orion, MI (Lake Orion Lake Orion High School Lake Orion High School is a public secondary institution located in Orion Township, Michigan. It is a part of Lake Orion Community Schools.The large campus features a centralized commons area, which serves as a distribution center to the wings. The commons area features the cafeteria and student... ) |
| 20 | Ilija Milutinovic | C | 7'0" | 255 | Fr. | Niš, Serbia Niš Niš is the largest city of southern Serbia and third-largest city in Serbia . According to the data from 2011, the city of Niš has a population of 177,972 inhabitants, while the city municipality has a population of 257,867. The city covers an area of about 597 km2, including the urban area,... (Milestone Christian Academy (MO Missouri Missouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It... )) |
| 1 | Derick Nelson * | F | 6'5" | 235 | Sr. | Lansing, MI (Bridgton Academy Bridgton Academy Bridgton Academy is an all-male college preparatory boarding school in North Bridgton, Maine. The school offers a true transitional year, to help students who have completed their senior year of high school gain the academic skills, study skills, self-discipline, and self-confidence necessary to... ) |
| 12 | Matt Samuels | G | 6'0" | 215 | Fr. | Washington, D.C. Washington, D.C. Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution.... (Patterson) |
| 44 | Jay Thames * | F | 6'9" | 220 | Fr. | Port Huron, MI (Port Huron Northern Port Huron Northern High School Port Huron Northern High School is a high school located in Port Huron, Michigan. The school's colors are blue and gold, and the mascot is the Siberian Husky... ) |
| 45 | Dan Waterstradt | C | 6'10" | 240 | Sr. | Dearborn Heights, MI (Rutgers Rutgers University Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey , is the largest institution for higher education in New Jersey, United States. It was originally chartered as Queen's College in 1766. It is the eighth-oldest college in the United States and one of the nine Colonial colleges founded before the American... ) |
| 2 | Larry Wright * | G | 6'2" | 172 | Jr. | Saginaw, MI (St. John's) |
Redshirt (college sports)
Redshirt is a term used in American college athletics that refers to a delay or suspension of an athlete's participation in order to lengthen his or her period of eligibility...
ing 2008–2009 season
Awards
- Keith BensonKeith BensonKeith A. Benson, Jr. is a professional basketball player for the Atlanta Hawks of the NBA. He previously played for the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Oakland Golden Grizzlies men's basketball team. Benson plays center and is the current The Summit League player of the year...
- Summit League Player of the Week
- Week 12 – Averaged 15.5 points, 12.5 rebounds, 5.5 blocks, 2.5 assists and 1.5 steals per game and shot 82.4 percent (14–17) for the week.
- Summit League Player of the Week
- Johnathon Jones
- Summit League Player of the Week (2)
- Week 2 – Averaged 23.0 points, 5.0 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 1.7 steals against Oregon, Syracuse and Iowa.
- Week 13 – Averaging 15.0 points and 12.5 assists per game against Oral Roberts and Centenary.
- Summit League Player of the Week (2)
- Erik Kangas
- Summit League Player of the Week (2)
- Week 10 – Career-high 39-point game that included 8–13 shooting from three point range in victory at IPFW.
- Week 11 – Averaged 30.0 points and 7.5 three-pointers per game. Kangas shot 65% from three-point range. Kangas was the first player to earn back-to-back player of the week awards since the 2004–2005 season.
- Summit League Player of the Week (2)
Milestones
- Erik Kangas set the Oakland record for career three-pointers made
- Keith BensonKeith BensonKeith A. Benson, Jr. is a professional basketball player for the Atlanta Hawks of the NBA. He previously played for the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Oakland Golden Grizzlies men's basketball team. Benson plays center and is the current The Summit League player of the year...
set the Oakland record for single-game blocks with eight - Keith BensonKeith BensonKeith A. Benson, Jr. is a professional basketball player for the Atlanta Hawks of the NBA. He previously played for the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Oakland Golden Grizzlies men's basketball team. Benson plays center and is the current The Summit League player of the year...
set the Oakland record for single-season blocks
Schedule
See also
- Oakland UniversityOakland UniversityOakland University is a public university co-founded by Matilda Dodge Wilson and John A. Hannah whose campus is located in central Oakland County, Michigan, United States in the cities of Auburn Hills and Rochester Hills. It is the only major research university in Oakland County, from which OU...
- Oakland Golden GrizzliesOakland Golden GrizzliesOakland University Golden Grizzlies consist of 16 sports teams competing in The Summit League and Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association...
- Oakland Golden Grizzlies men's basketballOakland Golden Grizzlies men's basketballThe Oakland Golden Grizzlies are the men's basketball team that represent Oakland University in Rochester, Michigan, USA. The school's team competes in The Summit League and plays their home games at the Athletics Center O'Rena. The Golden Grizzlies are coached by Greg Kampe...