photo Illustration by KRISTINE DELICANA / ILLUSTRATIONS EDITOR and photo by trevor stamp / senior photographer
photo Illustration by KRISTINE DELICANA / ILLUSTRATIONS EDITOR and photo by Araceli castillo / Photo editor
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THE SUNDIAL’S 2014-15 BASKETBALL ISSUE sundial.csun.edu
Landon Drew ready to take control
Basketball family prepares the point guard for an increased role with the Matadors in 2014 Shaka Dixon Sundial staff
A minute away from polishing off a stunning second-half claw back from 21 points against heavily favored Utah, CSUN men’s basketball found its precarious three-point lead in the hands of unheralded freshman Landon Drew, otherwise known as the son of former NBA head coach Larry Drew. The Matadors possession, and their young point guard waited for the shot clock to approach single digits before initiating play. As Drew strolled to the top of the key, redshirt freshman forward Trevone Williams screened Drew’s oncoming defender, but a flawless Utah switch denied Drew the lane. Resisting a host of freshman miscues, Drew calmly recognized his advantage, sized up the switched big man and made haste Araceli Castillo / photo editor to the basket. The resulting “and- Junior Landon Drew has found much success during his baketball career. Drew started playing at the age of 1” clinched the game and immor- four. During high school he won most valuable player twice and won plaques at the Redondo and San Diego talized the play in CSUN lore. tournaments. “I remember that I was trying “He’s a floor general; he pushto make a play, and I could hear the shot,” Drew said. “He didn’t grown into the trusted steward of an attack geared around the scor- es the pace,” said senior forhim [former head coach Bobby say anything after.” Shortly afterwards, he was ing of senior forwards Stephan ward Devonte Elliott. “He gets us Braswell] just yelling at me ‘Pass made a starter, and has since Hicks and Stephen Maxwell. going. A lot of pressure is on him the ball, pass the ball,’ and I took CMLaw14_Ads2_CMLaw14 CSUN 1025x8 10/29/14 1:58 PM Page 1
at the one spot. It can be difficult sometimes, but I feel he has it under control.” Now a junior, players, coaches and even some in his own family are pushing Drew to be more assertive. “I need Landon to push us, and I know he can do it, because there are times where he wills us in practice,” said junior center Tre Hale-Edmerson. “He keeps us calm, steady and on pace. We need him to be consistent every day, because if he’s consistent we’re consistent.” Coaches and players describe Drew as a humble and reserved natural playmaker that constantly whets their appetite for more with occasional flashes of brilliance. “I think that if he’s aggressive, he [is] one of the best point guards in the conference,” Lior Schwartzberg, CSUN director of basketball operations said. “If he’s really on his game, if not top-three, he may be the best point guard in conference.” A cursory look at Drew’s statistics from the past two season shighlights a correlation between wins and assists. The team is 15-6 in games when Drew has five or more assists and 4-9 in games he scores in the double digits.
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THE SUNDIAL’S 2014-15 BASKETBALL ISSUE
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sundial.csun.edu
TREVOR STAMP / SENIOR PHOTOGRAPHER
Drew had seven points and six assists for the Matadors in an exhibition victory against the Cal State Dominguez Hills Toros on Nov. 8.
Schwartzberg warned that assists are a dependent stat and can be superficial marker of a player’s impact. “If people are making shots, of course you’re going to win games,” said
Schwartzberg. “If he’s being aggressive, looking for his own shot, he’s going to open things for himself and his teammates.” Drew said he is prepared to heed calls for more asser-
tion, but still contends that he is playmaker by nature and will not abandon his point guard duties in the search for shots. “Practice is really important, because that’s where you see where you can get your shots,” Drew said. “Whenever we’re practicing, I’m making mental notes of who’s getting shots and where certain guys like getting the ball, and where I can get my own shots.” Drew’s elder brother, Larry Drew II, won a national championship with North Carolina before transferring to UCLA and setting a school record for single season assists. Now playing with the Miami Heat’s D-league affiliate Sioux Falls Skyforce, Drew II is trying to similarly recalibrate his game. “It’s a very delicate balance,” said Drew II. “We’ve been playing basketball since we were babies and we were taught the fundamentals and the right way to play early on while other kids were just running around and shooting. It’s something I’m especially working on myself. At this level, you have to show you can score.” Drew’s father Larry, now an assistant coach with
the Cleveland Cavaliers, watches all of his son’s games and is in constant dialogue with his son. “I’m never too busy to make sure things are right with him,” said Drew. He characterizes his son’s game as ‘old school’ and, like many in the program, hopes his son makes the jump this year. “He’s always been a giver. As far as reaping the rewards, sometimes he’s a little too unselfish,” said Drew. “I want him to take control.” Head coach Reggie Theus isn’t surprised at the elder Drew’s critique. Theus and he formed at backcourt tandem during their respective stays with the Kansas City Kings and Sacramento Kings. “They’re very different,” said Theus. “Larry’s game was about speed. He was fast. Larry could really shoot the ball too. Landon is more of a playmaker than his dad. Larry thought about scoring a lot more.” In personality they, draw closer. “Dad grew up differently. Landon grew up not wanting anything,” said Theus. “That’s where Landon’s character comes in. He
may have grown up that way, but his character is so strong that it keeps him playing hard. It keeps him doing the right things. He really is a coach’s dream.” Only CSUN offered Drew, a former first-team All-Los Angeles City selection a scholarship. He is quick to praise former Matador head coach Bobby Braswell for the opportunity. “Because of his name, he could have easily walked on at a lot of bigger pro-
grams, but he didn’t want to live on it,” Schwartzberg said. “He wanted to do it himself.” Drew hopes his tenure lays the foundation for the program’s rise into national prominence. “Depending on what we do in five, 10 or 20 years, CSUN can become a USC.” Drew said. “CSUN can become a UCLA. It can be among the top California schools. I want to say we we’re a part of that.”
MORE ABOUT DREW • 2013 All-Big West Academic Selection • 12 career double-digit scoring games • 228 to 112 career assist-to-turnover ratio • 9 assists career-high • 19 points career-high (at Utah Dec.12, 2012) • Father Larry Drew is an assistant coach of Cleveland Cavaliers • Brother Larry Drew II is a former UCLA Bruin information courtesy of go matadors
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THE SUNDIAL’S 2014-15 BASKETBALL ISSUE sundial.csun.edu
Team effort key to Matadors’ success Andrew Lim
sundial staff With 13 seconds left in the Big West Tournament 2014 championship game, the men’s basketball team were down by a point against Cal Poly. The Mustangs point guard, Ridge Shipley, just hit a three-pointer for the lead. Matadors’ point guard Landon Drew, a freshman at the time, dribbled the ball, went off a screen and passed the ball to 6 foot 7 inch freshman center Tre Hale-Edmerson. He, in turn, took the ball to the paint and seemed to hit the go-ahead jumper but was called for an offensive foul that negated the shot. This ended the 2013-14 season for the Matadors, who were just seconds away from winning the Big West Tournament Championship and a berth to the NCAA tournament. CSUN looks for this year to be different as they come back with a vengeance. “We fell short of our goal last year of making it to the NCAAs [tournament],” Matadors head coach Reggie Theus said. “I expect those guys coming back to be hungry. I expect them to feel cheated, to the point that this is something that they want more than anything. I also
Trevor Stamp / Senior photographer
Seniors Robert Cid, Stephan Hicks, Stephen Maxwell and Devonte Elliott during the Men’s Basketball Media Day on Nov. 6 in the Matadome. This senior crop will have expanded leadership roles after last season’s captain, Josh Greene, graduated.
expect them to take care of their academics and give me everything that they have on the floor.” Senior forwards Stephen Maxwell, last year’s AllBig West First Team selection, and Stephan Hicks, last year’s All-Big West Honorable Mention, will look to lead the team this year after
team captain Josh Greene graduated last year. The senior duo both scored more than 600 points last season. Hicks currently leads all active Big West players with 1,448 career points, and could be only the seventh player to reach 2,000 points in league history. Also returning is junior
Hale-Edmerson who not only set the record for blocks in a single season with 62, but was also second on the team in steals with 46. Theus said that due to Greene’s departure, he’s going to have to get contributions from not just one player, but a collection of players.
Greene, last season’s third-leading scorer with 16 points per game, is currently playing professional basketball for Bawer Matera in the Euroleague in Italy. “I need all of [the players] to step up,” Theus said. “We can’t make it if they all don’t raise their level. We have two high level freshmen in guard Michael Warren and guard Jerron Wilbut. They have to come and play at a high level for us. If they do their jobs, we’ll be more athletic.” The Matadors have four starters from last year coming back: Maxwell, Hicks, Hale-Edmerson and Drew. The incoming freshmen are forwards Tavrion Dawson, Zacarry Douglas, Jibreel Faulkner, guards Ajon Efferson, Miles Nolan-Webb, Taelin Webb, Warren and Wilbut. Sophomore guard Aaron Parks is coming back as well as last year’s pair of redshirts, Devonte Elliott and Kevin Johnson. Drew, who is the son of former NBA player and current Cleveland Cavaliers assistant coach Larry Drew, will be one of the Matadors who will the facilitator for this team and a team leader. “We have a lot of young guys this year - eight freshmen coming in,” Drew said. “They’ve done a good job of
being responsive to allowing me to lead the team. You can’t be a leader without having a group that allows you to do it.” Maxwell believes that last year was just a glimpse of the potential the Matadors have and will look to be better this year. “Last year’s Big West championship game was basically a stepping stone to what we can achieve in the future,” Maxwell said. “We just have to keep working and stay focused on the goal.” Lior Schwartzberg, who has operated as director of basketball operations since 2009, believes Theus can lead the Matadors to the promised land. “Ultimately, the player plays for the coach,” Schwartzberg said. “It’s up to the coach to tap their potential. Those players that say, ‘he will run through the wall for that coach,’ I think the players will do that for coach Theus and, he will get their all at the same time.” The Matadors season opener is Nov. 14 as they play the San Diego State Aztecs in San Diego at the EA Sports Maui Invitational Mainland Challenge. The Matadors home opener is Nov. 19 when they host Montana State at the Matadome.
Influx of young talent added to roster
Theus improves team’s depth chart with a freshman class filled with length and athleticism Andrew Lim
sundial staff Eight new faces are in town for the men’s basketball team as they get ready to face a new season. After coming very close to a Big West Title and a berth to the NCAA Tournament last year, all of the freshmen have one thing in mind: to bring a Big West Championship to CSUN “I want to help with any way the team needs,” forward Tavrion Dawson said. “If the team needs a charge I’ll come in and take a charge. I’ll dive on the ball. I just want to come in and help the team.” This year ’s freshmen class includes Miles Nolen-Webb, Taelin Webb, Michael Warren, Jerron Wilbut, Ajon Efferson, Jibreel Faulkner, and Dawson. Four of them are from California. However, the other four are from the east coast, which is rare for any Big West team. Warren and Faulkner are from Washington D.C. and were teammates when they were in high school. Wilbut
is from Chicago and Douglas is from Maryland. Coach Reggie Theus said the freshmen are talented and expects continuous effort on the floor. “All the (freshmen) are long and athletic,” Theus said. “Each of them have a different type of skill set which gives us an opportunity to utilize more bodies. They face a learning curve but should be able to contribute.” Theus said after the Nov. 8th exhibition versus the Cal State Dominguez Hills Toros that the team is young and he might have to stick to their starters playing a big majority of the game. During that game, only three freshmen had playing time: Webb with 13 minutes, Douglas with 10 minutes and Efferson with two minutes. “A lot of these guys are young so they don’t know basketball yet,” Lior Schwartzberg, director of basketball operations, said. “They haven’t tapped their potential yet and this year is about helping them find that potential.” Theus was named one of
Trevor Stamp / Senior photographer
From left: freshmen Michael Warren, Tavrion Dawson and Jerron Wilbut during the Men’s Basketball Media Day on Nov. 6 in the Matadome. The group brings energy and hopes of contributing in their first season.
the top 25 recruiters in the nation by Rivals.com during his tenure as an assistant coach at the University of Louisville, and the freshmen are excited to play for a coach with such a full
resume. “He’s very player-understanding because he played in the NBA,” Dawson said. “He knew where I was coming from so he could relate with me.”
Theus said he expects “1000 percent” from the freshmen on and off the court and that they will all have to come in and play at a high level in order to be successful this year.
“As a freshman, I want to be learning as much as I can and be positive,” Faulkner said. “Off the court and on the court, I want to be a positive example for other teammates.”
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THE SUNDIAL’S 2014-15 BASKETBALL ISSUE sundial.csun.edu
Theus ready for anything in year two Andrew lim
Sundial staff With Josh Greene, third leading scorer from last year, graduating and heading to Italy to play for a Euroleague team, men’s basketball Head Coach Reggie Theus wanted to be there for him. He took time out of his weekend to be there for Greene, congratulating him for a new chapter of his life. “He’s very humble. He cares,” Lior Schwartzberg, director of basketball operations said. “He went there to be with his family. He went out of his way to be there and he spent a good three or four hours there.” Being a person of integrity and an NBA player for 13 years has given him enough credibility for the players to trust and respect him. “It’s not like he read this in the textbook.” Schwartzberg said. “He has done it and has seen other people do it. He has coached Divison II basketball, coached Division I basketball, coached the Sacramento Kings. The fact that he has done it all and has
been successful, the players believe in him.” By playing against the likes of Michael Jordan and Larry Bird, by being on the same team with players like Spud Webb and Dominique Wilkins, playing under Jerry Sloan and Bill Russell, and coaching under Rick Pitino, he has done it all and seen it all. “I have a lot of ‘street credit’ as they would say,” Theus said. “Walking in the door, players already know that I know what I’m talking about. Not only have I coached it, I’ve done it myself by guarding Magic Johnson and Jordan, by being on the floor with Dr. J and George Gervin and by having conversations with Bill Russell.” After a six-year hiatus from college basketball, Theus came back to college basketball after stints with the Minnesota Timberwolves, Sacramento Kings and the Los Angeles D-Fenders of the NBA Developmental League. “I learned a lot from coach Pitino about running a program and how he handled his staff and his players,”
Theus said. Besides Pitino, Theus said he learned a lot about different styles of play by both coaching and playing at the NBA level. “I have a good mixture of being a former player, being a former coach in the NBA and being a coach in college,” he said. The players on the team are on board with Theus and one player talks about how much he has grinded them during practice. “He’s trying to get everything out of me,” senior guard Stephan Hicks said. “He doesn’t want me to just cruise, but he wants me to go hard everyday, working on my game.” Another senior player, forward Stephen Maxwell, said that Theus has boosted his confidence and Theus’ past experiences in basketball is helping the team. “During preseason, he does something called NBA training camp for the first week,” Maxwell said. “We do a whole bunch of drills that the NBA does; drills to better our agility, conditioning and a lot of shooting. He
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Entering his second year as head coach, Reggie Theus’ experience as a NBA player and coach make him the ideal source for men’s basketball players, on and off the court.
has a NBA mind and he’s very intelligent.” As Theus looks forward to this season, he emphasized that the team is going to have to play hard, and they will need cohesion to accomplish the team’s goals of making
it to the NCAA Tournament. “I always take on a team and never talk about winning or losing,” said Theus. “What I talk about most is getting guys to play a certain caliber of basketball.” Theus’ philosophy on bas-
ketball revolves around playing hard. He wants players to not only get to the rim but have an attitude too. ”I believe if you respect the game in that way, the wins will take care of itself,” Theus said.
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THE SUNDIAL’S 2014-15 BASKETBALL ISSUE
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THE SUNDIAL’S 2014-15 BASKETBALL ISSUE
sundial.csun.edu
sundial.csun.edu
ROSTER MEN’S
WOMEN’S
Name
Pos.
Ht.
Class
Exp.
Hometown/Previous School
0
Taelin Webb
Guard
6-0
Freshman HS
Fresno, CA. / Roosevelt HS
1
Micheal Warren
Guard
6-5
Freshman HS
Washington, D.C. / Theodore Roosevelt HS
Landon Drew
Guard
6-1
Junior
2V
Los Angeles, CA / Fairfax HS
3
Stephan Hicks
Guard/ Forward
6-6
Senior
3V
Thousand Oaks, CA / National College Prep
4
Tavrion Dawson
Forward
6-8
Freshman HS
Long Beach, CA / Gardena Serra HS
5
Zacarry Douglas
Forward
6-8
Freshman HS
Landover, MD / Mt. Zion Prep (MD)
11
Tre HaleEdmerson
Forward/ Center
6-9
Junior
2V
Sheridan, OR / Stoneridge Prep
12
Robert Cid
Guard
5-10
Senior
2V
Santa Barbara, Ca. / Santa Barbara City College
13
Ajon Efferson
Guard
6-0
Freshman HS
Pasadena, CA / Pasadena HS
14
Aaron Parks
Guard
6-3
Sophomore
1V
Baltimore, Md. / Notre Dame Prep/Lake Clifton
15
Devonte Elliott
Forward
6-10
Senior
3V
Paramount, CA. / Nevada
21
Stephen Maxwell
Forward
6-7
Senior
3V
Woodland Hills, CA / Taft HS
23
Jerron Wilbut
Guard
6-3
Freshman HS
Chicago, Il. / Downers Grove South HS
24
Jibreel Faulkner
Forward
6-8
Freshman HS
Washington, D.C. / Theodore Roosevelt HS
32
Kevin Johnson
Center
6-10
Junior
Los Angeles, CA. / Seton Hall
33
Miles Nolen-Webb
Guard
6-0
Freshman HS
2V
San Diego, CA / Hoover HS
JANAE SHARPE
AARON PARKS CINNAMON LISTER
TRE HALE-EDMERSON
CAMILLE MAHLKNECHT
MATADORS
2
STEPHEN MAXWELL
MATADORS
No.
ASHLEE GUAY
LANDON DREW
RANDI FRIESS
STEPHAN HICKS *PROJECTED STARTERS
No.
Name
Pos. Ht.
1
Breeyon Alexander-Perry
G
10
Tessa Boagni
14
Exp.
Hometown/Previous School
5-10 Junior
2V
Long Beach, CA / Long Beach Poly HS
C
6-2
HS
Christchurch, New Zealand / Christchurch Girls’ HS
Emily Cole
G
5-11 Sophomore
1V
Santee, CA / West Hills HS
53
Bernadette Fong
C
6-3
Junior
2V
Brentwood, CA / Liberty HS
22
Randi Friess
G
6-0
Senior
3V
Savannah, GA / Savannah Christian HS
31
Caroline Gilling
F
6-2
Freshman
HS
Rungsted Kyst, Denmark / Rungsted Gymnasium
5
Ashlee Guay
G
5-7
Senior
3V
San Diego, CA / Academy of Our Lady of Peace
35
Jasmine Johnson
F
6-0
Junior
2V
Moreno Valley, CA / Canyon Springs HS
55
Katelin King
G
5-9
RS Freshman RS
West Sacramento, CA / River City HS
11
Cinnamon Lister
G
5-5
Senior
1V
Corona, CA / Boise State
4
Camille Mahlknecht
C
6-2
Senior
3V
Agoura, CA / Agoura HS
21
Travis Newman
G
6-0
RS Junior
RS
Simi Valley, CA / Chaminade HS
3
Janae Sharpe
G
5-7
Senior
3V
Rialto, CA / Rialto HS
RS
Serafina Maulupe
G
5-8
Sophomore
TR
Vista Murrieta, CA / Virginia Tech
*PROJECTED STARTERS
Class
Freshman
INFORMATION COURTESY OF GO MATADORS
INFOGRAPHIC BY MARICRUZ MEZA / VISUAL EDITOR
INFORMATION COURTESY OF GO MATADORS
SCHEDULE MEN’S
In map in this color
NOVEMBER
Fri. 14 at San Diego State 7:00 PM EA Sports Maui Invitational Mainland Challenge Sun. 16 at #23 Arizona 4:00 PM EA Sports Maui Invitational Mainland Challenge Wed. 19 Montana State 7:00 PM 2014-15 Home Opener Sat. 22 vs. Samford 11:00 AM EA Sports Maui Invitational Mainland Challenge --Campus of UALR @ Little Rock, Ark. Sun. 23 vs. TBD 11:00 AM EA Sports Maui Invitational Mainland Challenge --Campus of UALR --- CSUN will face either UMKC or UALR @ Little Rock, Ark. Wed. 26 Portland St. 8:00 PM Sat. 29 at Seattle 7:00 PM
DECEMBER
Tue. 2 South Dakota 7:00 PM Thu. 4 at Pepperdine 7:00 PM Sat. 6 Vanguard 7:00 PM Wed. 17 at Oregon 8:00 PM Sat. 20 Texas A&M-Corpus Christi 7:00 PM Tue. 23 at Louisville 4:00 PM Mon. 29 Stephen F. Austin 7:00 PM
JANUARY
Fri. 2 Morgan St. 7:00 PM
WOMEN’S
Conference games in Red SEATTLE NOV. 29
NOVEMBER
Wed. 7 at UC Davis * 7:00 PM Big West Opener Sat. 10 at Hawai’i * 9:00 PM Thu. 15 at UC Santa Barbara * 7:00 PM Sat. 17 Cal Poly * 7:00 PM Big West Home Opener Thu. 22 UC Irvine * 7:00 PM Sat. 24 Long Beach State * 7:00 PM Thu. 29 Hawai’i * 7:00 PM Sat. 31 at UC Riverside * 5:00 PM
FEBRUARY
In map in this color
PHILADELPHIA DEC. 28/29
DECEMBER
BYU NOV. 19
Thu. 5 at Cal State Fullerton * 7:00 PM Sat. 7 UC Davis * 7:00 PM Thu. 12 at Cal Poly * 7:00 PM Sat. 14 UC Santa Barbara * 7:00 PM Tue. 17 Bethesda University 7:00 PM Sat. 21 at UC Irvine * 7:00 PM Thu. 26 Cal State Fullerton * 7:00 PM Sat. 28 UC Riverside * 7:00 PM Senior Day
Fri. 14 Idaho at 2:00 PM 2014-15 Season and Home Opener Sun. 16 Sacramento State 2:00 PM Wed. 19 at Brigham Young 10:00 AM Fri. 21 Portland 7:00 PM Fri. 28 Montana State 5:00 PM Sat. 29 TBD TBA
LOUISVILLE DEC. 23 LITTLE ROCK NOV. 22/23
MARCH
Thu. 4 at Saint Mary’s (CA) 6:00 PM Sat. 6 Pepperdine 4:00 PM Tue. 9 at Southern California 6:00 PM Thu. 18 at Northern Arizona 5:30 PM Sat. 20 at San Diego State 2:00 PM Sun. 28 vs. FGCU 1:00 PM @ Philadelphia, Pa. Mon. 29 vs. TBD TBA Hawk Classic on campus of Saint Joseph’s University --- CSUN will play either Saint Joseph’s or Quinnipiac @ Philadelphia, Pa.
JANUARY
Big West tournament Thu 5 through Sat 14 HAWAII NOV. 14/16 INFORMATION COURTESY OF GO MATADORS INFOGRAPHIC BY MARICRUZ MEZA / VISUAL EDITOR
Sat. 3 at Seattle 2:00 PM Thu. 8 UC Davis * 7:00 PM 2015 Big West Opener Sat. 10 Hawai’i * 4:00 PM Thu. 15 UC Santa Barbara * 4:00 PM
Conference games in Orange
Sat. 17 at Cal Poly * 4:00 PM Thu. 22 at UC Irvine * 7:00 PM Sat. 24 at Long Beach State * 4:00 PM Thu. 29 UC Riverside * 4:00 PM Sat. 31 at Hawai’i * 7:00 PM
FEBRUARY
Thu. 5 at UC Davis * 7:00 PM Sat. 7 Cal State Fullerton * 4:00 PM Thu. 12 Cal Poly * 7:00 PM Sat. 14 at UC Santa Barbara * 2:00 PM Sat. 21 UC Irvine * 4:00 PM Thu. 26 at Cal State Fullerton * 7:00 PM Sat. 28 at UC Riverside * 5:00 PM
MARCH
Thu. 5 Long Beach State * 7:00 PM INFORMATION COURTESY OF GO MATADORS
Tweet us #Blacktopfaceoff to choose which CSUN Basketball team will defend The Blacktop the best
8
THE SUNDIAL’S 2014-15 BASKETBALL ISSUE sundial.csun.edu
Matadors hungry for more banners Mateo Melero Senior staff
The women’s basketball team come into the 2014-15 season with an experienced team and a promising bench after a successful year that included a Big West Championship and a trip to Seattle for the NCAA Tournament. “I’m excited about the possibilities of this team, but only time will tell,” Matadors head coach Jason Flowers said. The team adjusted their game to take the title and shutdown problem opposition after a patchy start to the regular season. Adjusting their offense and defense in Anaheim at the Big West championship, the Matadors were able to knock off Cal Poly and the UC Irvine, with UCI being the most problematic over the regular season. CSUN took the game and moved on to play Cal Poly, who lost 73-58 to the Matadors and went home second in the conference. CSUN moved onto the NCAA Tournament as a No. 16 seed where their season ended in the first round in a loss to the No. 1 seed South Carolina Gamecocks. Flowers attributed the loss to failing on rebounds, and the sheer height of the opposing team. “Obviously, they had some bigger players,” Flowers said. “I thought the
Kelly rosales / contributor
Junior center Bernadette Fong passes to senior center Camille Mahlknecht during an exhibition against Master’s College. CSUN blew out the Mustangs 90-56 on Oct. 31.
kids embraced the big stage very well.” Regardless, the Matadors still proved a tough team for the prestigious Southeastern Conference team. “You take the good, you take the bad, and you put it in your back pocket and keep it for motivation,” Flowers said. This year, the Matadors added new recruits and eligible redshirts. Freshmen Tessa Boagni and Caroline Gilling both stand at 6 feet 2 inches and will be key on the offense.
Boagni’s versatility will set her up as a post player and will come in handy for the Matadors, Flowers said. Gilling, who described herself as a shooter, is a change of pace for the Matadors’ small guard setup and offers the same type of versatility as Boagni. Former redshirts Travis Newman and Katelin King will be eligible for play this year. Newman said she was able to learn a lot about the program after watching last season from the side-
line. She said the team needs to lock in on defense for the team to reach their goals this season. “All five on the court, no matter who they are, need to play as a unit,” said Newman. “Knowing that our focus on defense will ultimately determine our success.” All of CSUN’s players are eligible this year, excluding transfer student Serafina Maulupe, expanding depth off the bench. Flowers said more eligible players adds to the team competition, which is key to a good team. If others prove capable of starting this season, then adjustments will be made to the starting lineup. As for what they will face and who they are watching in the Big West Conference this year, Flowers isn’t targeting any specific teams. Last season’s rivals in Cal Poly and UCI won’t be much of a problem, with much of their team graduated. The Matadors on the other hand, have all their starting lineup returning. Seniors Ashlee Guay and Camille Mahlknecht, who received Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year awards in the Big West, respectively, will be back. Forward Randi Friess and guards Cinnamon Lister and Janae Sharpe, who proved solid offensive players last year, will return as well. But next year the Matadors will be losing all of their starting line-
up and Flowers isn’t avoiding that looming fact. “It’s the elephant in the room,” Flowers said. For now, with a winning team that has proven its resolve, Flowers said that the game plan is steady. “This is the first season, from a basketball standpoint, where we haven’t made an overhaul to what we did,” Flowers said. “I think we’ve settled on what is we need to do on both sides of the court.” The Matadors outplayed and shut down Master’s College 90-56 on Oct. 31 in an exhibition and their first action of the season. As for what the Big West will offer, Flowers isn’t cocky about the status of his team. “Nobody can predict what’s going to happen,” Flowers said. “Preseason, post(season), means absolutely nothing.” Flowers said that the Big West is unpredictable and that there are several teams who could take the championship this year. “I like our team,” Flowers said, who’s aware of his team’s experience and talent and the unpredictable season. The coach is instead worried about the day-to-day performance of the team and making sure their best game, is their next game. CSUN will play open the season against the University of Idaho Vandals Nov. 14 at the Matadome.
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THE SUNDIAL’S 2014-15 BASKETBALL ISSUE sundial.csun.edu
Guay stays humble amid accolades Kyle Hufnagel sundial staff
Araceli Castillo/ photo editor
Senior Ashlee Guay became the first CSUN player to be named the Big West Player of the Year in 2013-14.
MORE ABOUT GUAY • 2013 All-Big West Academic Selection • 2013-14 Big West Player of the Year • 2014 Big West Tournament MVP • 2013-14 All-Big West First Team • 2012-13 All-Big West Second Team Information courtesy of go matadors
A lifetime of preparation and a ruthless predisposition catapulted San Diego native and CSUN senior Ashlee Guay to new heights, rewriting the record books in northern Los Angeles. After leading the CSUN women’s basketball team to the 2014 Big West Championship, Guay stormed into the record books, becoming the first Matador to win the 2013-14 Big West Player of the Year award and was named the Big West Tournament MVP. Entering high school at the Academy of Our Lady of Peace, where her father was coach of the basketball program, Guay juggled both soccer and basketball her final two years of high school. “I started playing when I was five-years-old,” Guay said. “I played basically every single sport growing up, but my two main sports were soccer and basketball.” Entering her junior season, Guay stopped playing soccer because was it was difficult to balance. “I had to choose one to try and be seen by certain col-
leges,” Guay said. Head coach Jason Flowers remembers the moment he set his sights on Guay, knowing that she was the kind of player he envisioned on his roster. “It was one of those deals that you know it was just meant to be,” Flowers said, who already had two early commitments to the team, but flew out to Vegas to scout the guard. “Obviously I knew she was the daughter of a coach, so I knew there were certain intangibles that came along with that.” The apple never lands far from the tree, and Guay’s tendency to act as field marshal is a unique quality that spreads throughout the whole team. “When I got to high school, having my dad as the coach was really beneficial to me as well as my team because I was able to understand what he was trying to say and then relate it to my team so they could understand it as well,” said Guay. “That led me to a bigger leadership role and understand basketball more.” The main ingredient, according to Flowers, is Guay’s basketball IQ. “She asks questions that some of our other kids, might not even think of,” Flowers
said. “A lot of times she is an extension of our coaching staff out there because she thinks the game within the game.” It hasn’t just been her knowledge of the game that’s brought her recent success, but her uncompromising desire to win on the court and off the court. “She just wants to win at everything,” Flowers said, describing Guay’s contagious winning mentality. “There are a couple instances where we ended up on opposite teams in different things and she wanted to beat me just as much as anyone else.” Lindsey Foster, associate head coach, said it’s a combination of things when it comes to explaining what set Guay apart from the rest last season. Aside from her physical attributes like speed, Foster said Guay’s relentless attitude and leadership qualities make her stand out. “She’s not scared to ask questions, she’s not scared to put herself out there, call people out or help people — those qualities. If you’re not afraid to make mistakes then you’re going to keep improving.” With a swan song season rapidly approaching for the
high-flying senior, Guay has her sights set on repeating last year’s performance level. “With the returning people that we have that were on that team last year and know what it takes to get there, we are fully capable of doing that again.” Guay said. Looking forward after the season, the child development major and Spanish minor has plans to put both of her skills to work. “If the opportunity approaches, I hope to go play overseas,” Guay said. “I hope that I go somewhere where they speak Spanish because I want to work in afterschool programs. If I don’t go play overseas then I want to go down to South America and work in afterschool programs with kids, hopefully one of those things works out.” As Guay and the rest of the team get ready for the approaching 2014-15 season, individual accolades aren’t as important as regaining the form that saw them take the Big a West Conference last year — feat that Guay thinks they can repeat. “We just have to stay on the same page, work harder than we did last year and not let up,” she said.
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THE SUNDIAL’S 2014-15 BASKETBALL ISSUE sundial.csun.edu
Foreign talent, transfers bring depth Mateo Melero senior staff
The women’s basketball team received some promising new talent over the summer that head coach Jason Flowers believes has the potential as well as the basketball IQ to make a difference in the long term. Among the new recruits are players with impressive basketball backgrounds that could shine for the Matadors next year when all the current starters graduate. “I’m excited about how they come together as a group,” Flowers said. “I’m excited to see how much this team can grow.” The Matadors have boosted their ranks with two international players that both stand 6 foot 2 inches and show potential on the offensive. Incoming freshman center and New Zealand native Tessa Boagni is from a family that includes a father who played at the UC Irvine and Kansas University, before being drafted into the Utah Jazz. The 18-year-old journalism major played basketball and volleyball at New Zealand Secondary School before leaving to join her father in Los Angeles and the Matadors. Boagni expressed excitement for playing on a Division I team and said that it is a step up from her high
Araceli castillo / photo editor
The Matador women’s basketball team has new additions including recruit, transfers, and international players. Based on last seasons’ rollercoaster, adjustments were made for a stronger team.
school days. “This is probably the most talented group I’ve played with,” Boagni said. “The level in New Zealand is probably (not) as good here.” In the 2014 exhibition game against Master’s College, Boagni played 23 minutes, landing a shot in the paint and four out of six of her free throws. “It was my first taste of American basketball,” Boagni said. “It was just so different because I never played a
game that was that intensive.” The 6-foot-2-inch center plays post for the Matadors and matches senior center Camille Mahlknecht in height. “She’s a versatile post player,” Flowers said. But Boagni isn’t the only international player to debut on the Matadors this year, nor the tallest. Freshman and Denmark native Caroline Gilling stands at 6 foot 2 inches and plays guard for CSUN.
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Like Boagni, Gilling comes from a basketball family that includes a brother at Arizona State University and a sister at the University of Washington. Gilling landed three shots from downtown and four shots in the paint against Master’s College. “I’m a shooter,” Gilling said. “I like to shoot.” In addition to adding promising freshmen, the Matadors have taken in a player with college basketball experience. Sophomore Serafina Maulupe enters as a redshirt sophomore and will sit out a year due to NCAA transfer rules. “Serafina is a tough kid,” Flowers said. “She reminds me of the small guards we have now.” Maulupe spent the 2014-15 season with the Virginia Tech Hokies and Flowers is confident that her experience in an Atlantic Coast Conference team will pay off for CSUN. “She’ll step into a role next year where she will be one of the few experienced ball-handlers,” Flowers said. The Matadors also received freshman Tiarah Umu over the summer, but due to a concussion suffered in exhibition play, she will no longer play contact sports at the doctor’s request. “It was her third concussion,” Flowers said. “She started as a track
athlete so she’ll go back.” Despite this loss, CSUN still has plenty of talent to pull from, and last year’s redshirts will be eligible for play this season. Junior guard Travis Newman was a transfer last year and sat out the 2013-14 season. “She is versatile,” Flowers said. “She can do so many different of things.” At six feet, Newman carries on the trend of adding tall players capable of playing all areas of the court. “She’s a bigger guard, obviously bigger than the three smaller ones we got,” Flowers said. Katelin King will also be available this season. Past injuries kept the freshman guard out of the 201314 season, but she is anticipated to make a key contribution to the Matadors this year. “She is a great basketball player. She is a coach’s dream,” said Flowers. “Just a great kid.” With all the new eligible talent and prior players at CSUN’s disposal, Flowers said it helps create a healthy competitiveness among the team. As far as how Flowers will apply this new talent and whether they will start or not, it is up to them, Flowers said. “You get what you earn in our program,” Flowers said. “If those kids continue to earn the right to be starters, then they’ll start.”
Thank You Sports Editor: Pete D. Camarillo Assistant Sports Editor: Vince Nguyen Visual Editor: Maricruz Meza Photographers: Araceli Castillo, Trevor Stamp and Kelly Rosales Cover Art: Kristine Delicana Reporters: Shaka Dixon, Andrew Lim, Moises Ajanel, Kyle Hufnagel and Mateo Melero Marketing Team: Andrea Gonzalez, Michael Barajas and Elyse Kollerbohm Production Designers: Yoscy Perez and Keila Vizcarra Special thanks to: CSUN Athletics FOLLOW THE Sundial Twitter: sundialsports57 Instagram: sports_sundial Vine: sundialsports
THE SUNDIAL’S 2014-15 BASKETBALL ISSUE 11
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THE SUNDIAL’S 2014-15 BASKETBALL ISSUE sundial.csun.edu
Flowers creates family on and off court MOISES AJANEL SUNDIAL STAFF
“ALWAYS FAMILY” is a constant reminder of the unity that comes from playing under head coach Jason Flowers. One can’t reference the CSUN women’s asketball team without the quote coming to mind. Flowers, a two-time Big West Conference Coach of the Year, is going into his fifth season as the CSUN women’s basketball coach. Under his tutelage, the Matadors reached the NCAA Tournament during the 20132014 season for the first time since joining the Big West Conference. After a season of accomplishments that has put CSUN on the NCAA Tournament map, Flowers looks to continue to build on last season. “I think our group took away a sense of confidence knowing that when we do the things that we’re capable of doing,” Flowers said. “We can compete with the best teams in the country.” He said the biggest takeaway from the NCAA Tournament was a confidence in how good their abilities are. “It’s oneMinn_Ad_Horz.pdf thing to tell some-1
ARACELI CASTILLO / PHOTO EDITOR
Head coach Jason Flowers gives his outlook after the women’s basketball practice on Nov. 10. Under Flowers’ coaching, the team went to the NCAA Tournament during the 2013-2014 season. Flowers is now entering his fifth year as coach.
body that or to tell a group that, but it’s another thing for them to actually see it for themselves and be in the midst of it,” Flowers said. The team’s recent success has not only made the team ranked No. 1 in the Big West Conference Preseason Poll, but they also received a vote in the
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AP National Women’s Basketball Poll. Still, Flowers feels there is no reason to succumb to the pressures from the media. He said the goal for his teams are always the same. “The goal for last year’s team was to be the best team it could possibly be and along
the way they were able to accomplish some things that hadn’t been done here before,” said Flowers. “This year’s team, the goal is the same. The goal is to work every single day and get better.” Despite last season exceeding expectations, Flowers believes there’s still room for growth. He said he always tries to expose himself to different ways of thinking for the team to do things better. “Sometimes it can spark something in your own mind and sometimes it solidifies your philosophy on things,” said Flowers. “We’re always trying to get better as a staff, it’s not just me.” Flowers acknowledges those that have left a positive impact early in his career. In particular, a former assistant coach whom he met during his playing days at Irvine. “A big influence on me for noble reasons has been Cameron Dollar (current Head Coach of Seattle). He’s taught me a lot about coaching, about leadership, about relating to people, and more importantly, he’s taught me a lot about life,” Flowers said. Life is something that Flowers considers to be a top priority when it comes to teaching his
players. Senior guard Ashlee Guay recalls a significant point in her playing career when she had to learn things the hard way. “I remember during my freshman year we were in Portland and he yelled at me on the court the loudest he ever has, and asked me, ‘who is the point guard?!’ Guay said. “He told me I had a responsibility. Point guards have no days off. After that moment, I realized how much he expected from me but also how much he believed in me.” She also recalled a time where she broke down after a three-on-three scrimmage against the coaches. “Everyone left the gym and I was crying while coach Flowers was talking to me. He’s not just about basketball, but about life,” Guay said. “He wants you to grow as a player and as a person. He has continually pushed me and has never lowered his standards of me, which I appreciate.” Flowers said that instilling confidence in his players is one of the most important things he can do as a coach. “I want them to have confidence in themselves to believe that they can take on the world,” Flowers said. “But
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I also want them to be wise enough to know that they can’t do it by themselves.” The head coach said it is a process for his players to build that mentality. “It’s about building them to a point where they feel like they’re invincible but also knowing how to work with others,” Flowers said. Flowers strongly believes and lives by the idea of family. He remains in touch with fellow UCLA alumni on a regular basis which helps him maintain a tight relationship with other Bruins, which is something he hopes to pass on to his players. “My ultimate goal, when it’s all said and done, is to have a sorority of women who believe that their lives are a lot better because they played at our program,” said Flowers. Flowers wants his players to have memories and philosophies they can take with them throughout their entire lives. “That’s the ultimate goal, for them to come back with their children and to share some laughs about our stories,” said Flowers. “For them to have a philosophy that’s built on the things that they learned throughout the process of our program. That’s the ultimate goal.”