YAKIMA -- A lengthy look at the grand scheme of Central Washington basketball, plus a cursory glance at the Wildcats' record book, makes clear that since Ryan Pepper's departure in 1995, his induction into the school's hall of fame would be less a matter of if than when
And when will come Saturday, when the Selah product will join six individuals and one team during ceremonies on the CWU campus.
"I'm only 35," Pepper said during an interview last week. "When people get inducted into a hall of fame, you figure they're going to be a little older."
Except that in Pepper's case, evidence strongly suggests that waiting would be wrong.
It exists in the form of the Wildcats record book -- a volume in which the name of Pepper and his older brother, Jason, appear prominently.
Ryan Pepper is, for example, No. 1 in scoring among seven career categories in which he holds that ranking. He also is first in no fewer than nine season listings, including scoring average (26.4, in his senior season of 1994-95).
Pepper's single-game point total of 46, posted Feb. 23, 1995 against the University of Puget Sound, remains No. 1 in that category, too. A 6-foot-3 shooting guard, Pepper logged 16 games of 30 or more points -- three more than the legendary Mel Cox.
Little wonder, then, that Pepper was a second-team NAIA All-American in 1995 and an honorable mention pick the year prior.
Or that he played professionally in Australia for seven years, and later sported a Sun Kings uniform.
"I've noticed a lot during my life," Pepper said, "that (to succeed) you need to be in the right place at the right time, you need someone to believe in you, and then you also need a little bit of luck."
The person who believed in Pepper, or at least gave him an opportunity when others wouldn't, was the late Gil Coleman.
Though named second-team all state after his senior season at Selah, Pepper hoped for but did not receive an offer to play at a four-year school and initially signed with Wenatchee Valley College. Coleman, however, had coached Jason Pepper as a CWU assistant to Dean Nicholson and later as head man, and had also watched Ryan Pepper in high school.
So Coleman gave Pepper a shot -- albeit on the junior varsity. But that's all he needed.
"He didn't really plan on me coming in and having an impact," Pepper said. "But I thought I could play there, and so it became mostly a matter of me playing hard and proving to him that I could compete."
Which he did, and then some.
By his senior year Pepper was the franchise -- the force through which Central ran the vast majority of its offense. Opponents knew this, of course, and used most manner of tactics, legal and otherwise, to slow him.
"They tried all kinds of stuff," Pepper recalled. "They played dirty, they talked to me -- but I knew what their goal was. My parents had taught me to not let people see if what people are doing is bothering me, and if you can do that you've pretty much won the battle."
Once Central's best, Pepper is now one of Yakima's finest. He has been a member of the Yakima Police Department for four years and, along his wife Danielle, is busy raising sons Elijah (7), Noah (5) and Levi (3).
He met Danielle while in Australia, as Jason Pepper did his wife.
Pepper also has officiated numerous area prep contests, and participates in an occasional pickup game.
"I was fortunate," he said. "I had really good quality coaches in Gil and Greg Sparling, and each guy was trained by his predecessor. That's one of the things that has made Central basketball special."
That and players like Ryan Pepper.
CAREER MARKS
Category Number CWU ranking
Points 131 First
Scoring average 17.2 Seventh
Field goals 774 First
Field goals attempted 1,684 First
3-pointers 263 First
3-pointers attempted 745 First
3-point percentage .353 23rd
Free throws made 456 First
Free throws attempted 562 Third
Free throw percentage .788 15th
Assists 314 Eighth
Steals 261 Second
Steals average 2.0 Third
Games played 131 Second
Games started 68 Fifth
Minutes 3,865 First
SEASON BESTS (ALL IN 1994-95)
Category Number CWU ranking
Points 898 First
Scoring average 26.4 First
Field goals made 317 First
Field goals attempted 696 First
3-pointers 95 First
3-pointers attempted 276 First
3-pointers percentage .412 15th
Free throws made 169 Second
Free throws attempted 221 Sixth
Steals 114 First
Steals average 2.4 Ninth
Games started 34 Second
Minutes 1,302 First
Minutes average 38.3 First
Roger Underwood can be reached at 577-7694 or runderwood@yakimaherald.com
E-mail
Print
Weather/Forecast
Boys Basketball Scores
