It’s not that Adam Herman doesn’t appreciate the individual accolades, because those are nice to have.
It’s just that the Concordia University junior basketball forward’s goals are not about himself.
“I feel like I played well,” the Prairie High School graduate said after garnering first-team All-Cascade Collegiate Conference honors for the third time and being named a third team NAIA All-American. “The awards speak for themselves, I guess, but overall, it was one of my best seasons in my career.”
Herman led the conference in scoring at 24.6 points a game and was second in rebounding (9.6) and defensive rebounding (6.8), third in field goal shooting percentage (.604), fifth in offensive rebounding (2.8) and sixth in free throw shooting percentage (.804).
He scored in double digits in all 29 of Concordia’s games, and at least 20 points in 20 of them.
The Cavaliers finished 15-14, and while it marked the program’s first winning season in six years, it was a disappointing end.
“We ended short of where we wanted to,” Herman said. “We obviously wanted to go farther in the playoffs and get to nationals. That was the big thing for us. Next year’s going to be the year. We’re going to have everybody back, plus three key redshirts are going to be eligible next year. That’s going to be big for us, also.”
Herman led the CCC in scoring by 4.5 points a game while drawing double-team and even triple-team coverage late in the season, but conference Player of the Year honors went to Warner Pacific’s Stephen Harris.
Herman said he tries not to anticipate that high an honor and keeps it out of mind during the season itself. But it is something he wants.
“Sure, after the season,” he said. “During the season, I’m not really focused on it — but yeah, that’s something I’d like to get.”
Harris was also named first team All-America, but Herman was happy with his selection for national honors.
“That’s just an awesome honor that I got,” he said. “I’m happy to be on the Third Team, and hopefully next year, I’ll get it again. That was awesome for me.”
Being passed over for CCC Player of the Year honors is “definitely” motivating going into his senior season, Herman said.
Those preparations have already begun for a Cavaliers team with no seniors on the 2012-13 roster.
“We’re getting started early,” Herman said. “We’ve started workouts already, just trying to get this team ready for next season. I have more of a team goal. I want to go farther. I want to make it to the national tournament.”
Collura big part of S. Alabama’s success
Skyview High School graduate Brad Collura, who played baseball last season at Clark College, is hitting .333 as a starting third baseman at the University of South Alabama.
Collura is 25 of 75 at the plate this season for the Jaguars (18-4), the second-best average on the team. He is second on the team with an on-base percentage of .419, third with 25 hits and fourth with 18 runs scored, and tied for third with 14 RBI. He leads the team with nine multiple-hit games this season.
Collura’s walk-off RBI single in the bottom of the ninth inning gave USA a 6-5 win over North Florida on March 8. He had five assists in an 8-3 win on Feb. 27 at Jacksonville State, the team’s single-game high this season.
Collura has missed the team’s last three games with a minor injury, but is expected to return to the lineup this weekend.
WCC honors Yinger
University of Portland sophomore right-hander Kurt Yinger was named West Coast Conference pitcher of the week after hurling his first career complete game shutout Saturday against UC Riverside.
The Camas High School graduate registered a career-high 12 strikeouts with no walks in the Pilots’ 2-0 victory over the Highlanders, scattering six hits as UC Riverside only advanced one runner past second base all game.
Yinger extended his streak of consecutive scoreless innings to 19.0, dating back to the sixth inning of a March 2 game at UC Irvine.
SPU’s Decker hits provisional mark
Seattle Pacific University freshman Lynelle Decker posted an NCAA Division II provisional national qualifying time in the 800 meters at the Oregon Preview meet Saturday in Eugene.
The Mountain View High School graduate, who was 15th at the distance at NCAA-II indoor nationals, finished in 2 minutes, 12.56 seconds, through Saturday the third-fastest time among NCAA Division II runners.
Suggestions for College Notebook? Contact Kurt Zimmer at 360-735-4563 or kurt.zimmer@columbian.com.
