Men's Basketball Ranked No. 20 in Southern California Preseason Poll

The Allan Hancock College men's basketball team will start the 2016-17 season ranked No. 20 in the California Community College Men's Basketball Coaches Association's Southern California Preseason Poll. The Bulldogs are tied with Western State Conference opponent Ventura at No. 20.

Ventura is one six teams ranked in the preseason polls that are scheduled to play the Bulldogs.

Hancock will open the season on Friday, November 4, at the three-day Cuesta Rabobank Tournament. The Bulldogs open on Nov. 4 at 4 p.m. against College of the Sequoias, the No. 11 team in the Northern California Preseason Poll. Hancock will play West Hills, the No. 14 team in the north, the following day, Saturday, Nov. 5 at 5 p.m.

Other ranked teams already on Hancock's schedule include: Cerritos, No. 7 in California and 13 in Southern California; East Los Angeles, No. 8 in California and No. 3 in Southern California; Cuesta, No. 15 in Southern California.

Tyson Aye returns for his fourth season as head coach of the men's basketball team. Guard Shane Carney, who averaged 12.0 points and 3.3 assists per game, as well as forward Marcellus Garrick, who averaged 8.1 points and 4.2 rebounds per game, are key returners for the Bulldogs.

Hancock features talented local players in Lompoc High School graduate Torey Sims, and former Santa Maria High School stars Troy Bolden and Shemarr Parker. Bolden and Parker are redshirt freshmen.

Three transfers, forward Deon Whiteside, who averaged 4.2 points and 1.8 rebounds for Northeast Community College in Nebraska; forward Kevawn Lord, who averaged 5.2 points at Cuesta College; and 6'8" post player Dominic Jackson, who transferred to Hancock after averaging 5.9 points and 2.1 rebounds per game for Central Wyoming College, will also play key roles this season for the Bulldogs.

Hancock's home opener will be during the second annual Home Motors Tournament from Nov. 18-20.

City College of San Francisco, the defending state champion, is the top ranked team in the State Preseason Poll. Saddelback, Las Positas, Yuba and Chaffey round out of the five. Saddleback, Chaffey, East Los Angeles, Fullerton and El Camino-Compton make up the top five in the Southern California Preseason Poll.