MEAC Basketball: Ranking of 25 best players from last decade (2013-23)

12. Cletrell Pope

A 6’9 center from Northport, Alabama, Pope developed into a junior college star, putting up great production at Southeastern Illinois College before transferring to Bethune-Cookman in 2018. Pope spent just two seasons with the Wildcats but blossomed as a major frontcourt piece for Ryan Ridder’s program.

As a junior, Pope averaged 14.1 points and 12.2 rebounds per game, hitting 62% of his 2-point field goals and becoming a major weapon for Bethune-Cookman. His program would finish 4th in the MEAC during his senior year, with Pope averaging a double-double again with similar numbers. He had 15 different 20-point performances and lot of great rebounding numbers, including a 24-point, 22-rebound effort in a loss at Morgan State.

For both of those seasons, Pope was named First Team All-MEAC and the Defensive Player of the Year. He ranked Top 5 nationally in rebounding in both seasons and had high-quality shooting numbers for the Wildcats during two pretty productive seasons for the program. Pope was a monster in the paint for Bethune-Cookman and has almost certainly been the best rebounder the MEAC has seen in some time.