For the first time in CSU Stanislaus men’s basketball history, the Warriors are going dancing all the way to the Division II NCAA tournament.
Last weekend, the Warriors swept through the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) Basketball Championships, earning the school’s first CCAA championship.
After the win, senior Sam Marcus was named the Most Outstanding Player of the CCAA Championships. During the three games, Marcus earned 36 points, 12 assists and six assists while leading the team on the court and shooting fifty percent from the field.
In the tournament opener last Friday, the Warriors rode the hot hand of junior Rob Walters, defeating Cal State L.A. 58-52 and capturing the first-ever postseason win for the men’s basketball program.
Walters ended the game with 17 points and 14 rebounds, but much of the damage was done in the second half. The standout junior forward collected 15 of his 17 points in the second half, including all nine of his free throws, to seal the game for the Warriors.
Stanislaus then took down Cal State San Bernardino 72-67 in the semifinal game, this time following in the footsteps of their big man, senior Marcus Bell.
Bell, who has been named CCAA Player of the Week three times this season, scored 21 points and pulled down 12 rebounds for the Warriors to help them move to the CCAA Championship game.
Junior guards Shey Mataele and Chris Read contributed with 17 each, but it was Mataele’s clutch, free-throw shooting that helped seal the win as he knocked down eight in the final 70 seconds of the game.
Then in the championship, the Warriors faced Chico State – a team that beat them by 21 earlier in the year. This time, however, was different as the Warriors got contributions from everyone, beating Chico State 82-70.
Bell and Walters seized the paint from Chico State, with Bell ending with 18 points and eight rebounds while Walters tallied 12 points and 14 rebounds. Both Stanislaus big men earned all-tournament honors for their play.
With the twin towers controlling the key, it allowed for Read to collect 20 points and Marcus to notch 19.
Currently, the Warriors’ overall record sits at 21-8, the best mark in school history – surpassing the old record of 20 wins only attained in the 1986-87 and 1992-93 seasons.
The Warriors now turn their sights on the first round of the NCAA tournament and their opponent Seattle Pacific. The Falcons from Seattle Pacific collected their second straight Great Northwest Athletic Conference this past weekend, making this their tenth straight appearance in the NCAA Division II tournament.
The Warriors face off against Seattle Pacific Friday, March 14 at 2:30 p.m.