University of the Fraser Valley men’s basketball coach Barnaby Craddock wrapped up a productive recruiting period by signing a pair of veteran players from south of the border.
Both players – 6’6″ post Josh Monagle and 6’1″ point guard James York – are former members of the Montana Tech basketball program (NAIA), both are heading into their fourth year of eligibility, and both fill major needs for the Cascades.
Monagle adds to the Cascades’ depth in the post, which was an issue last season after starting big men Jasper Moedt and Kyle Grewal suffering season-ending knee injuries. With Monagle in the fold, and with Moedt and Grewal set to return, the UFV squad is in much better shape heading into the fall.
Monagle led Montana Tech in scoring (16 points per game) and rebounding (7.4) in 2008-09, while shooting 59.6 per cent from the field.
“People who have watched us play over the past few years know we’ve been a perimeter-based team, and we’ve done so out of necessity,” Craddock said. “Josh starts to give us that look we haven’t had here – that inside, back-to-the-basket presence. He’s going to draw a lot of attention down there.”
With Zeon Gray, the Cascades’ starting point guard the past two seasons, departing to pursue professional opportunities in Europe, York’s addition was also essential. He averaged 7.3 points and 3.3 assists per game at Montana Tech in 2008-09.
“He’s a real strong guard,” Craddock said of York. “He distributes the ball well, and he’s a heady player.”
Monagle and York round out Craddock’s six-member recruiting class. Previously announced recruits include recent Yale Secondary grad Jordan Blackman; point guard Klaus Figueiredo, a transfer from Northern Alberta Institute of Technology in Edmonton; 6’5″ post Luke Braund, a transfer from Trinity Western; and Mike James, a 6’6″ centre who’s transferring from the University of Winnipeg.
James York will help to fill UFV’s void at point guard created by the departure of Zeon Gray.
