The independent, student-run news site of Eastern Washington University.

The Easterner

The independent, student-run news site of Eastern Washington University.

The Easterner

The independent, student-run news site of Eastern Washington University.

The Easterner

EWU Men’s Basketball Rebuild Kicks Off with 5 Players and 3 Coaches

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Katherine Kneafsey
Swoop at EWU basketball game

The Eastern Washington University men’s basketball team began adding to the 2024-25 roster in May. Five players committed to the school, while head coach Dan Monson hired three assistant coaches. 

Forward Angelo Winkel

6’8, 230 lbs

Algona, IA

Transfer from Des Moines Area Community College

Winkel was the first commitment announced by the team. The forward will be a junior for the Eagles next season. He averaged 16.9 points and 7.1 rebounds for the Bears in 25.2 minutes per game. His ability to put up points should be helpful for an EWU team losing its top six scorers. 

 

Guard/Forward Tyler Powell

6’5, 220 lbs

Los Angeles, CA

Transfer from University of Nevada, Reno

Eastern Washington will be Powell’s third school in his collegiate career. The junior swingman played in 11 games for the Wolfpack in two seasons, averaging 1.9 points per game, before redshirting last year. Powell was ranked as a three-star player in high school and in the transfer portal. 

 

Guard Elijah Thomas

6’6, 180 lbs

Surprise, AZ
Transfer from Des Moines Area Community College

Another DMACC standout, Thomas shot 36.4% from beyond the arc en route to averages of 10.7 points and 4.2 rebounds in 22.4 minutes per game. Thomas and Winkel transferring from the same school could provide a level of continuity not usually seen in teams composed of a high volume of transfers.

 

Guard Andrew Cook

6’4, 200 lbs

Huntington Beach, California

Transfer from Carroll College

Cook will be a senior for the Eagles in the 2024-25 season. At Carroll, he demonstrated all-around ability, averaging 20.8 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 2.8 assists per game while shooting 57.5 percent from three. Cook won the Frontier Conference MVP and was named First-Team All-NAIA. He joins former head coach Ryan Lundgren at Eastern Washington.

 

Forward Shaumba Ngoyi

6’9, 200 lbs

Kinshasha, DR Congo

Transfer from Long Beach State University

Ngoyi joins Monson in coming to EWU from Long Beach State. He will be a redshirt sophomore for EWU. He has yet to take the court in a game in college. In a 2022 press release from Long Beach State announcing his commitment, Monson said Ngoyi “plays with a physicality and passion for the game that is contagious.”

 

Ryan Lundgren

Associate Head Coach

Lundgren was most recently the head coach at Carroll College for one season, guiding the team to a 19-12 record and an NAIA National Championship Tournament Appearance. He was the associate head coach at the College of Southern Idaho for four years before taking the helm at Carroll College. 

 

Larry Anderson

Assistant Coach

Anderson was an assistant coach under Monson last season at Long Beach State during the team’s improbable NCAA Tournament appearance. He was an assistant coach for one season at Cerritos College before joining Monson at LBSU.

 

Ben Beauchamp

Assistant Coach

Monson chose to retain assistant coach Ben Beauchamp, who has worked in the Eastern Washington men’s basketball program since 2021. He started as Director of Player Development and Recruiting Coordinator before his promotion to assistant coach last season. 

 

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Nic Cunningham, Reporter
Katherine Kneafsey, Photographer

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