Men's Basketball Opens Season Friday, Nov. 6, at Cuesta Tournament
The defending conference co-champion Allan Hancock College men's basketball program has released opens the 2015-16 season on Friday, Nov. 6, at a tournament hosted by Cuesta College. The Bulldogs will play at least nine games against teams that qualified for the Regional Playoffs last year, including six teams that won conference titles.
"We are excited to get back out there and put on our blue and gold uniforms," said head coach Tyson Aye, who returns for his third season with the Bulldogs. "We expect to win another conference championship this season. It's what we work toward everyday".
The Bulldogs face the College of the Sequoias at 2 p.m. on Nov. 6, in the season opener at Cuesta. The field at the three-day tournament features three teams that made the postseason last year, including Saddleback, the defending state champion and top ranked team in the state preseason poll. . Sequoias is ranked No. 13 in the Northern California Regional Preseason Poll.
All-Conference First Team guard Matt Willkomm (Arroyo Grande HS) returns to lead the Bulldogs. Last season, the Arroyo Grande High School graduate averaged 11.8 points per game and shot nearly 39 percent from three-point range.
"Matt brings toughness, experience and confidence to our team," said Aye. "You can't leave him open because he's proven that he can make big shots and he's not afraid to take them."
Players selected Willkomm, as well as freshmen guards Shane Carney and Malik Rhodes as team captains.
Rhodes, a 6'2" guard from Cincinnati, Ohio, was an All-District First Team pick who earned All-State and All-League honors for Clark Montessori. Carney, a 5'9" guard, was named league MVP his senior season after he averaged 20 points a game for Narbonne High School in Los Angeles.
"Both Malik and Shane are fast, very quick with the ball, unselfish, and great competitors. All of those qualities make them perfect fits for Bulldog basketball," added Aye.
Orcutt Academy graduate Manny Mangayao is a freshman guard for the Bulldogs. He averaged 21 points and eight rebounds his senior season for the Spartans and earned All-League First Team honors.
"Manny has gotten stronger and quicker and will be a factor for us this season," said Aye.
Coach Aye is also high on his post players: Jeremy Eves, a 6'9" center from Antelope, Tim Ford, a 6'7" post from Colony High School in Los Angeles, and 6'5" forward Emilio Gonzalez, a Santa Barbara High School graduate and former league MVP.
"All three bring different skills and strengths to the table," said Aye. "Ford could possibly lead our conference in rebounds this season, while Emilio is very physical and skilled with a definite presence on the court. Jeremy is getting stronger and improving every day."
After playing at Cuesta, the Bulldogs open a four-game home stand in Joe White Memorial Gymnasium on Saturday, Nov. 14, at 3 p.m., against the junior varsity team from William Jessup University, a NAIA program located in Rocklin, CA.
The Bulldogs will then host the first annual Home Motors Tournament from Friday, Nov. 20, through Sunday, Nov. 22. Hancock will play Napa Valley at 7 p.m. on Nov. 20, before battling Yuba, the sixth ranked team in the state preseason poll, on Saturday, Nov. 21, at 5 p.m. The Bulldogs will battle defending Bay Valley Conference champion Marin on Sunday, Nov. 22, at 5 p.m. Marin lost in the Regional Semifinals last season and is ranked eighth in the state preseason poll. San Diego and Cuesta will also compete in the six-team field.
The Bulldogs will host the 51st annual Holiday Classic from Monday, December 28, through Wednesday, December 30. Four of the six teams in the field, Rio Hondo, Fresno City, Cuesta and Bakersfield, competed in the 2015 postseason. Hancock opens against Rio Hondo on Dec. 28, at 7 p.m. , before taking on reigning Central Valley champion Fresno City at 7 p.m., on Dec. 29. The bulldogs close the tournament at 5 p.m. on Dec. 30, against Bakersfield.
The Bulldogs open defense of their conference title with two home games. They host Santa Barbara City College on Wednesday, January 7, 2016, at 7 p.m. Oxnard comes to Santa Maria on Saturday, Jan. 9, for a 5 p.m. contest.