News Bits
Kort Jensen: "Proud of our sons, Dallas & Derek! Great pre-season college basketball rankings with College of Sequoias # 2 & Feather River College # 13. These are two great coaches! They are even better husbands, fathers and life long friends."
Isn't this remarkable? Both sons at CA community colleges and heading top programs. A top notch hoops coaching family.
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"Wright's Basketball NorCal 2025-26 Preseason Rankings For Boys Basketball"
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The Cal State East Bay Pioneers have burst out to a 5-0 start this season with victories over Fresno Pacific, William Jessup, Menlo College, St. Martin's and Concordia University Irvine. Coach Bryan Rooney's crew are led by 6-foot-5 senior Tyree Campbell at 14.6 points per game, 5-foot-11 Jaayden Bush at 13.2 points plus a team best 20 assists and 6-foot-1 senior Ramsey Huff with 11.0 points an outing. CSEB is bettering opponents with an average of 74.4 points, nine better than the collective points per game of opposing teams as well as +5.8 rebounds a night.
6-foot-3 guard Andrew Ferrara-Jones (West Campus High/Sacramento CC) leads UC Santa Cruz (3-4) in scoring thus far this season at 17.2 points per game with 6-foot-8 senior teammate Joseph Espy (Pleasant Grove High) second in both scoring and rebounding at 15.4 points and 7.7 boards. 6-foot-5 senior Leo Wagner (West Campus High/Sacramento CC) stands at 12.1 points an outing with 6-foot-5 senior Caden Breznikar (Miramonte High) leading in board work with 8.1 a contest plus 10.1 points.
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6-foot-2 Jamaree Bouyea (Palma High/USF) has enjoyed some recent positive results since joining the Phoenix Suns. Versus the Lakers on December 1, he enjoyed seven points (3-3 overall shooting), five assists and three steals in a 125-108 victory and followed with 18 points (7-11, 2-3, 2-2 shooting) in 18 minutes on December 5 in a 117-98 loss to Houston.
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Rising Ballers Network: "Freshman guard Gavin Sykes (Modesto Christian High) had himself a huge game in Long Beach State’s 76-72 win over San Diego finishing with 30 points on 12-22 FG & 5-9 3FG."
With Long Beach State playing poorly as a team, Sykes will likely have a long list of new suitors/NIL offers and be quite tempted.
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Sportswriter John Murphy obituary, a Serra High, Skyline College and San Francisco State grad.
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6-foot-2 Marcus Green (Archbishop Mitty) certainly gets around. He's at Fordham University in the Bronx this season as a grad student and averaging 7.5 points per game while shooting 48% overall and 40% on threes. In addition he is grabbing 1.5 rebounds nightly and has passed for nine assists versus one turnover in 10 contests played and 20 minutes per outing. Greene started his college life at Sacramento State, then Panola Community College, followed by Houston Christian and Hawai'i.
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6-foot-8 Tochi Onyeador (Los Medanos College) is now a junior at Whittier College and has started off strong as in five games/starts and at 26 minutes a contest, he is averaging 9.6 points (20-24 on overall shot attempts) and 10.8 rebounds with eight blocked shots and six steals.
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5-foot-7 senior Dayton Magaña (San Joaquin Delta College) is averaging 17.3 points per game to begin this season alongside 3.0 rebounds plus 16 assists and 11 steals in six games for Linfield College (OR). Magaña is shooting 40% (20-50) on three-point attempts.
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"Kawakami: Jonathan Kuminga’s eventual Warriors exit is being shaped right now"
Not sure if the link above link will work but here's hoping. Tim Kawakawi writes that we'll soon be seeing the last of Jonathan Kuminga on the Warriors.
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D1 Scores
Stanford hosted Portland and came away a 94-72 winner. The Cardinal jumped out to a 51-31 halftime lead and costed home. The victors shot 52% overall, 42% on 33 attempted treys, while the visitors shot 51% overall but Stanford attempted 64 shots total to 47 for the Pilots. Transfer guard Jeremy Dent-Smith went 5-10 beyond the arc to lead The Farm-ites with 16 points.
Then UNLV came into Palo Alto and a defensively flat Stanford, out-shot 48% to 38%, fell 75-74. Star freshman guard Ebuka Okorie led with 18 points but shot just 4-16 overall. With just two seconds remaining, UNLV missed a free throw, then made one and the game was over.
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St. Mary's traveled 3,000 miles to North Carolina, faced a talented 7-1 Davidson squad, and came away with a 70-61 win. They did this with both Paulius Marauskas and Mikey Lewis shooting poorly. Joshua Dent led the Gaels with 21 points plus five assists and Andrew McKeever (Granada High) tallied 15 points alongside 13 rebounds.
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In what was likely scheduled as an expected win, USF fell 65-63 at home to North Alabama as no starter scored in double figures for the Dons. In 35 minutes, senior point Ryan Beasley (Dougherty Valley High) totaled nine points (2-10, 2-8, 2-6 shooting) plus a pair of assists. UNA scored 30 points, almost half its total, in the paint.
Then the Dons went all the way to Tupelo, Mississippi to face Mississippi State and emerged a 65-62 winner after holding a 30-22 halftime lead. It was the 'Big Two' leading in scoring with Tyrone Riley IV tallying 16 points and Ryan Beasley (Dougherty Valley High) 12. Each also grabbed six rebounds. Behind 62-61 with 24 seconds remaining, Mookie Cook buried a free throw and with five seconds showing, Tyrone Riley IV stole the ball and dunked. MSU missed a jumper at the buzzer.
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At home, Santa Clara took care of Utah Tech 90-80 as the Broncos were out-shot by their opponent 49% to 47% but putting up 13 more shots did the trick.
New Mexico hammered Santa Clara a 98-71 as a 53-35 second half sunk the Broncos. Christian Hammond led with 22 points but an ineffective D allowed the host Lobos to shoot 60% on the night. SC finished at 38%.
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California hosted Pacific and topped the Tigers 67-61 after owning a nine-point halftime lead. Justin Pipppen led the Bears with 15 points and Dai Dai Ames contributed 15 points. Isaac Jack posted a 15 point, 16 rebound double-double for the Stockton-ites. Cal shot 46% overall versus 37% for the visitors. Pacific got within five on separate times in the second half and then two points with 0:25 remaining but that was the closest. Write For California game report
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A Jeremiah Cherry-less Sacramento State went into Waco and got bopped 110-88 although it was just a five point difference, 52-47, after 20 minutes. The 6-foot-11 senior Cherry has missed the last couple of weeks with a leg injury. 6-foot-8 freshman Mark Lavrenov (Rocklin High) led Sacto in rebounding with nine (seven offensive) plus 10 points. The Bears shot 60% to 38% for the Hornets.
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Over in the islands and opening up Big West Conference action, UC Davis fell short versus Hawai'i 75-69 although 6-foot-1 junior Connor Sevilla (Dougherty Valley High) provided a team high 17 points. The Rainbow Warriors shot 54% overall, 44% on 16 trey attempts to 44% overall and 25% on 16 three-point tries for the Aggies.
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Engaged in a shootout, Cal Poly edged Cal State Fullerton 94-91 in a Big West Conference opener behind 37 points from Peter Bandelj who shot a remarkable 11-13, 9-10 and 6-6. As a team, the en fuego Mustangs shot 49% overall and also 49% on 37 three-point shots. Landon Seaman (Will C. Wood High/Menlo College) finished with 15 points for the Titans.
It was UC Riverside getting by Cal Poly 88-84 in San Luis Obispo despite Mustang Hamad Mousa powering for 31 points, nine boards and three assists on the night. He shot 8-14, 4-9 and 11. Poly shot a very solid 47% but allowed UCR to conclude the contest at 54%.
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San Jose State University utilized a 52-34 first 20 minutes to cruise to an 86-69 victory over visiting San Diego. Guard Colby Garland post an all-around 20 point, eight rebound, five assist, two steal line, returnee-from-injury 6-foot-6 wing Adrian Myers provided a surprising 20 points aided by 8-11 overall shooting, 4-6 from long distance and 6-foot-8, 240 big Yaphet Moundi enjoyed an 18 point, 12 board double-double, a feat that is needed nightly since he's the sole Spartan frontcourter with the capability of producing nightly.
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Behind a career high 18 points from 6-foot-3 junior Aidan Burke (Archbishop Mitty), UC San Diego topped host Long Beach State 80-74. In 29 minutes, Burke shot a near perfect 7-8 from the floor, 4-5 from long range. Gavin Sykes' (Modesto Christian High) 20 points again led the Beach but he needed 18 shots to reach that total. The Triton are now 8-1 and LB State is 2-8. UCSD game report
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In overtime and in a Big West Conference opening contest, UC Santa Barbara bested Long Beach State 84-77 even though Beach frosh guard Gavin Sykes (Modesto Christian High) continued to lead his squad with 24 points. Aidan Mahaney (Campolindo High/St. Mary's) played 40 minutes and paced the Gauchos with 26 points (11-11 at the foul line). His six rebounds and three assists also led his squad.
Aidan Mahaney (Campolindo High/St. Mary's) totaled 30 points in leading UC Santa Barbara to a 109-84 success versus visiting Cal State Bakersfield. He shot an en fuego 11-13, 7-7, 1-2 overall. Sophomore teammate Zion Sensley (Archbishop Riordan) posted a 16 point, 14 rebound double-double.
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Cal State Northridge topped Cal State Bakersfield 87-66 aided by 6-foot-6 senior Mahmoud Fofana's (Santa Teresa High/West Valley College) 15 points, seven boards and a pair of shot rejections
Northridge then fell 85-71 to UC Irvine despite an 11 point, 11 rebound (five offensive) effort from Mahmoud Fofana (Santa Teresa High/West Valley College).
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Host San Diego State bested Utah Valley 77-66 with guard BJ Davis (Modesto Christian High) leading the scoring with 18 points (4-8, 2-4, 8-8 shooting). Surprisingly, Miles Byrd (Lincoln High-Stockton) went scoreless in 20 minutes.
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Behind 18 points from guard JoJo Murphy (Piedmont High/Chico State), Seattle whacked Puget Sound 97-43.
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Visiting North Dakota State pulled off a road win versus Montana 81-72 despite Money Williams (Oakland High) tallying 21 points plus five assists. But turnovers were again a bugaboo as Williams notched six.
Montana then nabbed a 79-75 road victory against North Dakota as 6-foot-4 junior Money Williams (Oakland High) scored 30 points (11-14, 5-7, 3-3 hot, hot, hot shooting). But the junior also turned the ball over six times. Teammate and 6-foot-6 redshirt freshman Tyler Thompson (Vanden High) added 17 points (5-8, 4-5, 3-4 shooting) plus four steals.
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Northern Colorado went to 8-1 on the season after taking a 75-70 road win versus Omaha. Guard Quinn Denker (Bellarmine College Prep/West Valley College) filled the stat sheet with 22 points, eight assists and three steals. He shot 9-14, 2-5 and 2-3.
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Non-D-1 Scores
In the Citrus College 110-101 success versus Southwestern College, 6-foot sophomore Leo Ricketts (DeLaSalle High/Sac State) tallied 40 points (12-25, 5-11, 11-13 shooting) plus five assists and three steals. He's certainly earning a return trip to D1.
At home, Chico State handled UC Merced 69-50 as 6-foot-1 junior Ned Joyce (Pleasant Valley High) provided 16 points in 19 minutes off the bench and teammate Chris Holley (Jesuit High/Sacramento State/Santa Rosa JC/Sonoma State) was right behind with 15 points. game report
In the Las Positas College 90-75 victory over Shasta College, Jaden Woodard (Sheldon High) scored 26 points plus nine boards and five assists with teammate Ted Bigg-Wither supplying 23 points alongside 16 rebounds.
6-foot-6 junior Joey Kennedy (University High) tallied 23 points plus 12 rebounds and three steals in 24 minutes during the Claremont-Mudd-Scripps 86-64 defeat of Puget Sound. In 34 minutes, teammate 6-foot-4 junior Reid Jones (Jesuit High) contributed 13 points and six boards plus (unless this is a typo) an amazing 13 steals.
Stanislaus State 57, Chico State 54 Chico State game report Stanislaus is now 5-3.
Stanislaus State also bopped Cal Maritime 105-43 at home with Donjae Lindsey (Weston Ranch High) totaling 24 points on 10-13 overall shooting, 4-5 from beyond the arc. He also contributed four assists.
Western Oregon bested Cal State Los Angeles 74-70 despite the latter receiving 27 points from 5-foot-10 junior guard Michael Pearson (Modesto Christian High on 9-12. 3-6, 6-6 shooting.
In DeAnza College's 93-89 defeat of host Grossmont College, 6-foot-4 sophomore Mehki Thomas (Dublin High) filled the stat sheet with 26 points, six steals, five assists and five boards.
He went looooong for this pass and didn't have to buy a ticket to get back in to take the shot. Yes. he netted it. Do click here for the video. Never, ever seen this before.
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