When i wrote about the Arlee Warrior basketball team and Abe Streep’s wonderful book about them, Rez ball in Montana, and the problems successful Native high school athletes have making it to and in the college game, I did not know that one of the key players followed in Abe’s book, Brothers on Three, just completed a very successful season in my backyard, at Eastern Oregon University. A Montana friend gave me the news, and here’s what I learned from the EOU web page:
“Junior guard Phillip Malatare was named the Newcomer of the Year and was tabbed First Team All-CCC. He garners the award after being a guiding force for the Mountaineers in 2021-22. ..
“Malatare was the Mountaineers’ go-to option on offense this season as he averaged 19.2 points per game 27 games played. He started 26 contests and averaged 30.6 minutes per game. His 19.2 points per game were second highest in the league as he shot 48% from the floor. He shot 83.3% from the free throw line, which was fourth best in the CCC. He was eighth in steals at 1.4 per game and ranked 10th in assists at 3.3 per game. He was also 13th in the CCC in rebounding at 5.9 per game. He scored in double figures in 24 games this year and had an EOU career high of 29 points against Whitman College. He also posted five double-doubles on the year.”
I’ll be following Phillip Malatare and “Rez Ball” in La Grande next year!
rich