Napoleon makes basketball history at Blue Mountain Community College

Published 12:00 pm Thursday, February 2, 2023

PENDLETON — Chad Napoleon has started a new club at Blue Mountain Community College, and he’s the only member.

Napoleon scored his 1,000th point, and more, Jan. 28, at Big Bend Community College in Moses Lake, Washington. According to coach Doug Baxter, Napoleon is the only player in BMCC men’s basketball history to eclipse the 1,000-point mark.

“To do it in two years is phenomenal,” said Baxter, who has been with the program for 10 years.

Napoleon said he has been enjoying the fanfare that came with his achievement.

“It’s a very good accomplishment,” he said. “Being the only person at Blue Mountain to do it is a blessing. I’m really enjoying that.”

The last BMCC player close to reaching 1,000 points was Jamar Ransome (2007-2009), who finished his career with 980 points. He went on to play at California Baptist University.

Napoleon had a chance to reach the milestone on Jan. 25 when the Timberwolves hosted Yakima Valley. He needed just six points to hit the 1,000-point career mark. BMCC lost that game 68-49, and Napoleon had just four points — the first time this season he has scored fewer than 13 points.

“When I played at home, I didn’t know I was going to hit 1,000 points,” he said of the Jan. 25 game. “Someone told me right before that I was close. Then I played like trash. I got over it.”

Did he ever.

On Jan. 28, Napoleon made a layup just 2:01 into the game to give him 1,000 career points. He finished the game with 17 points in the 84-71 win, and now has 1,015 points heading into Saturday’s game at Columbia Basin College.

The Timberwolves are sitting sixth in the NWAC East with a 3-5 record, but Napoleon believes the team is far from done.

“I’m not happy with how the season is going,” he said. “It could be way better. With our win Saturday, I think we will do better. When we played NIC (North Idaho), who is the top-ranked team, we lost by two in overtime. We just need to finish games.”

A shining starA 6-foot-5 guard/forward, Napoleon left a lasting impression as a freshman with the Timberwolves.

He was named to the NWAC East first team, and was named Freshman of the Year by the region coaches.

Napoleon started all 25 games for the Timberwolves as a freshman. He averaged 25 points and 8.4 rebounds per game. He also shot 57.4% from the floor and 74.3% from the free-throw line.

“His greatest strength is his versatility,” Baxter said. “He has improved his 3-point shooting, but he still needs to work on defending on the perimeter on a more consistent basis.”

Napoleon was the first BMCC men’s basketball player to earn an NWAC postseason award since Dedi Seme in 2017-18.

When Napoleon came back for his sophomore year, he had a few friends with him — Hugues Camille, Kenny Aubin, Denzel Pierre and Jaquone Gatling.

“It’s nice when your best player is also your best recruiter,” Baxter said. “He understands the type of character and work ethic we are looking for.”

This season, Napoleon is averaging 20.5 points and 6.7 rebounds per game.

From Florida to PendletonA native of Delray Beach, Florida, Napoleon found his way to Eastern Oregon via a recruiting app.

“He approached me on one of the recruiting sites I watch,” Baxter said. “He hit me up on messenger. At this level, you really can’t fly out there and work them out. It was a leap of faith. We got the deal done. I hoped he was not a knucklehead or high maintenance.”

There was also the thought that Napoleon might miss the Florida sunshine, but that hasn’t been the case.

“He told me he played in Spain one summer on a travel team,” Baxter said. “He told me he wouldn’t have any trouble with that. He has embraced Eastern Oregon, for sure.”

Napoleon’s parents, Smith and Marie, moved from Haiti to Florida before he was born.

His older brothers and sisters played football and soccer. He is the only one that was drawn to the basketball court.

“With my parents being from Haiti, they really don’t understand a lot of the basketball stuff,” he said. “I tell my brothers and sisters and they tell my parents. My dad has never seen me play in an actual game, just a city league or men’s league game. They are always working.”

Napoleon played summer basketball in Spain before his senior year of high school. After high school, he spent a year at North Florida Prep in Jacksonville before heading to Oregon.

Napoleon hasn’t bought a cowboy hat and embraced the western way of life yet, but he feels right at home in Pendleton.

“I feel like when I came here I had a lot more focus on me and basketball,” he said. “It was good to be away from home. I love Spain. That’s really my goal after college, to play overseas.”

He does want to transfer to a four-year school when he is done at BMCC, and Southern Oregon University is high on his list.

“I love Southern Oregon,” he said. “Their gym and facilities are really nice.”