CHICO, Calif. – Sean Park is moving north, Terence Pellum is moving up, and Darren Nye is coming home. All three, the latest to commit to Greg Clink’s Chico State men’s basketball team, hope they’re coming to a program on the rise.
Park will transfer in as a freshman from Westmont College, Pellum is a transfer from Foothill Community College in Palo Alto, and Nye is a senior transfer from Alaska Anchorage.
Nye is a product of Corning High School where he holds the school record with more than 1,400 career points. He was an All-Conference selection at College of the Redwoods before transferring to Alaska Anchorage. Nye started 20 games for the Seawolves last year, leading the team in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.62) and 3-point shooting (47 percent). The 6-foot-1 guard shot 51-percent overall and averaged 4.5 points, 2.1 assists, 1.4 rebounds, and nearly one steal in 19.6 minutes per game.
“We are thrilled to have a local talent back home where he belongs in the North State,” said Clink. “Darren is a proven winner and a proven scorer. He’s also a quality floor general who can knock down open shots while taking care of the ball. Darren is exactly the type of student athlete that we want in our basketball program."
Pellum, a 6-foot-6, 210-pound post player, is a product of former Chico State assistant coach Shanan Rosenberg’s program at Foothill Community College.
“Terence can rebound, defend, and block shots at a very high level,” said Clink. “He has developed a very strong offensive post game under the direction of coach Rosenberg and he’s a very exciting addition to our basketball program.”
Pellum averaged 12.1 points, eight rebounds, and nearly two blocks per game as a sophomore last year. The All-Coast Conference selection also shot 64-percent from the field, up from 58-percent as a freshman.
Park, the Most Valuable Player of the Channel League and the Santa Barbara County Player of the Year in 2007-08, did not play last season due to an injury. He averaged 18 points and 11 rebounds as a senior while leading the Chargers to a 21-8 record and a berth in the CIF Southern Section Division I quarterfinals. His 11 rebounds per game led the county despite his 6-foot-3 frame.
“Sean is a tough, smart, and athletic wing who can rebound and penetrate very well from his position,” said Clink. “He addresses a need we have with rebounding on both ends of the floor, and his competitiveness is a big reason why he has so much success on the glass. We look forward to having four years to work with him and develop his already polished game.”
Nye, Pellum, and Park join 7-foot-center Jason Conrad, sweet-shooting guard Rashad Parker, and 6-foot-5 forward Amir Carraway to highlight this year’s Chico State men’s basketball recruiting class. The Wildcats will open the 2009-10 campaign on November 4 with an exhibition game at Cal.