Spartan Daily Vol. 161 No. 33 by Spartan Daily

NAMED BEST CAMPUS NEWSPAPER IN CALIFORNIA FOR 2022 BY THE CALIFORNIA COLLEGE MEDIA ASSOCIATION AND CALIFORNIA NEWS PUBLISHERS ASSOCIATION

Tuesday, November 7, 2023

Volume 161 No. 33 SERVING SAN JOSÉ STATE UNIVERSITY SINCE 1934

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BRANDON NICOLAS | SPARTAN DAILY

Students attend an event about mental health and community for athletes held by San José State University's Black Student Athlete Association on Monday afternoon.

Athletes talk unity and resources By Brandon Nicolas SENIOR STAFF WRITER

Student athletes and staff funneled into the South Campus Gold Room of the Simpkins Stadium Center to participate in Black Student Athlete Association’s “Blacktivating Community,” a speaker event with discussions surrounding student-athlete mental health on Monday evening. The Black Student Athlete Association is a student organization at San José State that strives to create safe spaces for Black athletes to forge relationships and to build a community off the field, according to its website. Jeremy Ebobisse, guest speaker and forward for San José Earthquakes, said when he first arrived at Duke University, he failed his first fitness test which triggered a series of unfortunate experiences with his team. “I was running the fitness test every morning,” Ebobisse said. “That cycle kept on going and going for 18 days where I was training separately from the team and lifting separately from the team . . . I was

completely isolated.” Ebobisse said he felt disconnected from not only his team, but the resources surrounding athletics, such as the team psychologist, who he felt disliked him. He said it was common for him to see high-level athletes enter the league as freshmen and fall into depression after not achieving the results they wanted. “They spiraled into alcohol, they spiraled into drugs, and that didn’t stop after college,” he said. “That’s followed them and they’ve had to really look into the mirror and get help.” Ebobisse said he has faced discrimination on and off the field, recalling kids from South Carolina spouting racial slurs during the second half of a match. He said at a young age, Black athletes learn to internalize that people will try to get in their way without giving a clear reason, and that it takes time to come to terms with that. Sport psychology consultant Amara Niani spoke at the event and offered mental health tips. Niani said she played basketball during high school and recalls the struggle of

balancing school work and being an athlete. “Within a year, I experienced my teammates battling depression and anxiety,” Niani said. “I had some teammates popping mollies before practice, or drinking alcohol

support system. Black Players for Change is an independent organization with nearly 200 Black players, coaches and staff from Major League Soccer working to tackle racial injustices and inequalities Black athletes face in the sport, according to its website. “Black Players for Change is a group of Black players that came together in 2020 because we felt so isolated in certain locker rooms or unheard by general managers or ownership whoever it might have been,” Ebobisse said. “We’re in a pretty good spot from a support system standpoint.” Prior to the organization being founded, he said issues Jeremy Ebobisse in the league often led to forward for the San José self isolation. Earthquakes Ebobisse said it wasn’t until players began speaking up about their experiences did in the showers because of he and his teammates realize the pressure.” how networking and building She said student athletes a community within Major should lean into their outlets, League Soccer would benefit whether it’s meditation or so many people. journaling. “Going back to racial Niani said it’s extremely aggression on the field, before common for student athletes to 2020, organizations would burn out and crash, especially shut it down and say, ‘Nothing when there is a lack of a proper happened,’ ” Ebobisse said. “I’m

I’m not saying kick anyone out of the league but at least don’t gaslight us and tell us these things aren’t going down.

not saying kick anyone out of the league but at least don’t gaslight us and tell us these things aren’t going down.” Siena Brewster, president of Black Student Athlete Association and business administration senior said she looked forward to meeting a professional athlete and sports psychologist. “Jahmal reached out to me to do this event and I was all in,” Brewster said. She said Williams has helped the association get in contact with guest speakers and host events. Brewster said she started the Black Student Athlete Association last year in hopes of forming a community, spreading knowledge and making an impact in the lives of student athletes. “Us being in such an intimate setting and being vulnerable and open with each other was perfect,” Brewster said.

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SJSU addresses accessibility and race By Melany Gutierrez STAFF WRITER

San José State’s Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion hosted a collaborative presentation with Parents Helping Parents to discuss how disability and race can affect an individual’s experience in public spaces. The Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion is a part of SJSU President’s office and seeks to build individual, organizational and institutional capacity to bring about change in equity and social disparity, according to an SJSU webpage. Parents Helping Parents is an organization based in San José that provides support, information and training to

help families raise and assist their relatives at any age who have disabilities or a diagnosis, according to its website. Keri Gray, guest speaker and CEO of the Keri Gray Consulting Group who is a disabled Black woman, said after she was diagnosed with bone cancer as a child, she did not see a lot of open representation of disabilities in mainstream media or the world. “I wrestled with how to lean into this new part of my identity (being disabled),” Gray said. “That is a lot of what my work references today. It's a discussion of who we are, our experiences and how we can translate that to others.” Gray said it’s important to be able to use and discuss

the language, phrases and topics related to intersectional identities such as disability and race. She said starting these conversations might make people feel uncomfortable, but even if it’s difficult, it’s essential. Gray said the first step a person should take when having this potentially complicated conversation with those who are disability advocates and those who are disabled, is to listen to different experiences and perspectives. “We shouldn't stop at just listening, we should start thinking about how we can offer support, how we can offer resources, how we can offer connections and community,” Gray said.

Gray said one languagebased concept we see in these intersectional communities and conversations is code switching. She said code switching is a language alteration where a person adjusts their own style of speech, appearance, behavior and expression in a way to optimize the comfort of others in exchange for good treatment, quality service and employment opportunities. Gray said one form of code switching is the alteration in topics and language used when disabled people are around each other and are able to talk more freely about medical matters like doctors appointments, treatments and therapy, things that are custom to them. “These conversations just

happen and sometimes they bring you closer together with some of your colleagues or classmates,” Gray said. Viviana Barnwell, an employee for Parents Helping Parents and a councilmember for the California State Council on Developmental Disabilities representing Santa Clara County, said sometimes code switching almost feels necessary when talking to parents who do not have disabled children. The California State Council on Developmental Disabilities is an independent state agency that aims to ensure that people with developmental disabilities and their families receive the services and support they need, ACCESSIBILITY | Page 2

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NEWS

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 2023

SJ discusses community and collective power By Julia Chie STAFF WRITER

LEAD Filipino held a Community Organizing Event Sunday evening in the Student Union. “LEAD” stands for leadership, education, activism and dialogue. LEAD Filipino is an incorporated charitable nonprofit cultural and educational organization supporting the Filipino American community, according to its website. LEAD project coordinator Mariseth “Mar” Abat said the idea for the workshop came from talking to peers and community members who wanted to take action on issues that affected their communities.

It's a way for us to be seen by others as well as seeing other people outside of just ourselves. Camille Claudio San José resident

Abat said many people in the community have these conversations, but can also be overwhelmed or left wondering how to take action. “How can I make it more palatable and more comprehensible, like demystify what the process looks like?” Abat said. “It's just community organizing.”

ACCESSIBILITY Continued from page 1 according to its website. Barnwell, who is also a mother to a disabled child, said that she finds it easier to share with other parents who are caring for disabled children because they can more easily connect and empathize with one another. “An example is if I talk about my son having a really difficult life because he has to (go to)

Abat said she wanted to emphasize the importance of having community and collective power. “When you have community, you have care for somebody else,” Abat said. “From there, you can organize and tackle any problems you and your community face.” Abat said her motivation for wanting to become a community organizer was growing up as a member of Generation Z, and facing a lot of heavy topics. She said she doesn’t want her younger brother to grow up the way she has. “He has been a big point of inspiration for me, trying to change the world for him, people younger than him and those who will come after me,” she said. Ellina M. Yin, a volunteer for LEAD Filipino, said she came to the event to support her friends and to look for cool places to hang out. “I also want to be in spaces where youth are gathering, and kind of keep my perspective fresh, so I have a multi-generational approach,” Yin said. Yin said she thinks there is a lack of spaces where people can engage with what’s going on in their community’s local government without worrying if they’re being offensive. She said some are concerned about not knowing enough about certain subjects. “Civic participation to me is engaging in your agency and autonomy, but you have to learn how to do it,” Yin said. “It's almost like if somebody just gave

you a car and said, ‘Go ahead.’ You need to have driving lessons.” Yin said unfortunately in the American school system, civic participation stops at a state level in K-12 education. To learn about all of the different aspects that make local government work, one would likely have to go into public administration. “It shouldn't be like that, because everybody has a right to civically participate,” Yin said. She also said LEAD Filipino and her podcast “Only in San José” help to provide free civic education. The organization is “aimed at demystifying and democratizing the process of civic participation in local government-ground zero of systemic change,” according to the Only in

San José website. Yin, a consultant for San José’s office of equity, said the office is currently working on making a basic civics curriculum that will prepare people to attend any public city council or commission meeting. “Be able to understand ‘What is parliamentary procedures?’, ‘What is the Brown Act?’ (and), how to look up agendas, read memos, (that’s) basically the instruction manual,” she said. Yin said she has always been active in government, but started getting more engaged during San José’s charter review, which was held over 2021. The Charter Review Commission was established to solicit community input on potential charter

reforms to improve and update the city’s governance structure, according to the city of San José’s website. Yin said the commission was a constitutional convention the city hadn’t hosted since 1986. “It was a commission of residents from all 10 districts, and they met monthly,” Yin said. “So I just showed up every month, listened and learned with them.” In that year, she said she started figuring out how things in government work, used her two minutes of public comment, documented her experience and linked with other commissioners. Camille Claudio, a San José resident, said she heard about the event through LEAD Filipino. Claudio said Abat drew

her to the event. She also said she wanted to learn more about community organizing. “This event was an invitation to anyone, at any level of their understanding of organizing, and I would say I'm pretty new to it,” Claudio said. She said community organizing is a way for members to care for themselves and each other, and to tap into their humanity and shared connection to others. “Yeah, it's a way for us to be seen by others as well as seeing other people outside of just ourselves,” Claudio said.

physical therapy after school and the next day to occupational therapy than another parent will say ‘It's the same with every child, they all have to go to football and my girls have to go to ballet,’ but it’s not the same,” Barnwell said. Joanna Kent, a disability advocate and mother whose child has a rare disease of which she was not comfortable sharing, said during the pandemic, Zoom helped her connect with other disability advocates, parents and families.

Kent said she would have never met them, if not for Zoom, because of accessibility issues they face trying to get to other advocacy meetings. “Through the use of Zoom a lot of families had access to the table in a way that they didn’t have before,” Kent said. “Now that the world is going back to normal a lot of those people are losing that access just to get into these rooms and spaces because of transportation, resource and financial lack or issues.” issues.

Gray said Zoom also changed the dynamics in spaces for disabled people because it eliminated some of the biases people with disabilities face because people did not always have to be on screen or be fully shown on screen. Jamie CandelariaGreene, a consulting learning specialist for Alameda County, said lack of accessibility takes a negative toll on people with disabilities who live in low-income areas, who are minorities and who need medical attention most. “Those who I see getting the most help are children of the affluent and white,” Greene said. “While others are too often pushed into spaces and classes for

the severely disabled.” Eva Sanchez-Nuñez, a Parents Helping Parents employee and mother of an SJSU sophomore, said her daughter almost dropped out during her first year of college because she wasn't aware of the kinds of resources available to her as a disabled student. “I think we forget that these kids can go to university,” SanchezNuñez said. “(Now) she's able to start taking her upper division courses a whole semester early and all because I had ha to jump and through loopholes looph fight with these thes people to give her the th things she needs.” Sanchez-Nuñez said Sanchez-Nuñ her daughter is working beautifully as a student despite coming from an school unsupportive district, who SanchezNunez said, implied not her daughter would w much because amount to muc of her disability. for Gray said it’s natural n people to form identity race politics around arou and disability, but it’s not a flawless concept of advocacy.

“The problem with identity politics is that it creates the need to split one's political energy up between two sometimes opposing identities,” Gray said. “It can be a form of intersectional disempowerment” Jahmal Williams, director of Advocacy for Racial Justice at SJSU, said to avoid the negative and harmful side of identity politics people must value each identity they own. “We have to consistently think about being Black and being disabled, being non-binary and being ‘this,’ in all these different aspects as we advocate (for),” Williams said. Williams said the difference comes with using “and” and not “or,” when dealing with identity politics. He said “and” is recognition and pride in each identity a person owns and “or” is being torn between them and forced to choose one identity despite owning many of them. Gray said coalition building is an alliance, partnering or engaging in joint activities in order to achieve a common goal or dimensional values. “We have to ask ourselves where are the opportunities to collaborate?” Gray said. “We should cross amplify each other's work and we should sit at the table together more often.”

JULIA CHIE | SPARTAN DAILY

Attendees listen to a speaker during the Community Organizing event held by LEAD Filipino on Sunday evening.

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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 2023

ALBUM REVIEW

‘Golden’ explores new genres By Nikita Bankar STAFF WRITER

With a fusion of nostalgia, heartache and retro-pop, “Golden” by Jungkook will bring you on a journey of romance like no other. Jungkook is the youngest of the seven members of K-pop boy band BTS, and he is the last to release a full solo album after the group went on hiatus to attend mandatory military service. I have always loved his ability to represent a multitude of genres through his airy, yet powerful vocals. He can truly make you feel emotion like no other, and has successfully done so in “Golden.” “Golden” was released last Thursday, and consists of 11 tracks. I applaud Jungkook for creating such a diverse collection of music and for exposing his audience to styles of music. What immediately stood out to me after hearing all the songs was how versatile the collection is. I can picture myself dancing to some of these songs in a party with the lights dimmed and a crowd surrounding me. However, I can picture myself listening to the others and sobbing on the bathroom floor. I still remember talking to my sister on FaceTime the moment the album dropped, screaming as soon as I picked up the phone. We’ve gotten extremely close because of K-pop, so this release gave us another reason to bond and squeal over how much we love Jungkook and this album. “Seven (ft. Latto),” the first track,

was released as a single prior to the release of the album. Its summerlike vibe, upbeat style and Latto’s inclusion definitely makes it easy to enjoy. I still remember my jaw dropping after watching the music video, which features South Korean actress Han So-Hee. I remember her starring in the K-drama “Nevertheless,” which I absolutely loved. The song introduces a new, more mature side of Jungkook, with a lustful theme and complex choreography. However, knowing Jungkook and his previous performances, I had a good feeling the dance for the track would be outstanding. “3D (ft. Jack Harlow)” was a totally unexpected release, especially with the lyrics Harlow adds, such as “all my ABGs get cute for me.” It immediately reminded me of Justin Timberlake, with its funky beat and Jungkook’s breathy tone. The music video is something I’ve already watched about 30 times. It’s addicting, featuring a gorgeous Jungkook dancing in Y2K-style outfits and boots in the rain. “Standing Next to You,” is definitely the catchiest song on the entire album, and the music video is a clear tribute to the dancing style of Michael Jackson. It showcases a pop and lock dance form, brilliant choreography and a complex melody that is constantly in my head. Jungkook wears a beautiful black studded jacket in the video, his crisp dancing perfectly matching the

album review “Golden” Rating:

Artist: Jungkook Release Date: Nov. 3, 2023 Genre: K-pop

ILLUSTRATION BY JOANNA CHAVEZ

trumpets and his falsetto weaving in and out of the beat effortlessly. I was immediately reminded of older Disney movies after listening to “Yes or No,” which was written by Ed Sheeran. Its romantic, nostalgic feel takes me to the 2000s, and I often find myself humming it throughout the day. My favorite part of the song is when he sings, “Something about you / Do you feel the way I do,” and “That’s magic in the room / Tell me do you feel it too?” The melody is stunning, and his voice truly displays the sweet tone of the song. “Shot Glass of Tears” is easily my favorite song on the album. I’ve fallen in love with the piano that decorates Jungkook’s stunning vocals and creates an emotional feeling of heartache. “Tell me am I ever gonna heal again,” is the lyric that stands out to me, as Jungkook’s voice wavers and hits you straight in the heart. It truly is a heartbreaking ballad, which are always my favorite to listen and sing along to.

“Closer to you” sounds like it is straight out of a crowded nightclub. Its quick beat, mysterious melody and Jungkook’s breathy words are truly captivating throughout the song. While the melody of the song is not my favorite and the lyrics are repetitive, Major Lazor adds a unique touch to the song that Jungkook has not shared before. I stopped in my tracks and paused “Somebody” the second I started listening to it. Jungkook does not sound like himself at all in the beginning, his voice deep and nasallike. Despite sounding like a completely different artist in this song, I do love the elements Jungkook adds in the track and the power in his voice as he delivers the lyrics of the song. Another song that has me crying like a baby is “Hate You,” with its painful lyrics sharing the story of pretending to hate an ex. The song is totally Mendes’ style, presenting heavy feelings in

a beautifully written ballad. The chords of the piano make me almost choke up, and the lyrics “I’m gonna hate you / Paint you like the villain that you never were,” leaving me shattered. As someone who has always enjoyed Jungkook’s vocal capabilities, this album was something I thoroughly enjoyed. I loved how Jungkook experimented with various styles and presented an entirely new version of himself. I would say overall, my favorite pieces are the slower, more emotional ones, in comparison to the faster dance-hits. In its unique blend of emotion, crisp dance moves and heartfelt ballads, I think “Golden” successfully captures Jungkook’s multifaceted artistry and charisma - the work of a golden artist indeed.

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THE RHOM RECAP

¡Ay dos mío! The Miami ladies bring the drama By Matthew Gonzalez EXECUTIVE EDITOR

The Miami mami’s are back and bringing the heat and intriguing storylines to our TV screens. Episode 1 of Season 6 of “The Real Housewives of Miami” (RHOM) aired on Peacock on Thursday, and while the premiere gave Bravoholics (frequent watchers of the Bravo network) drama galore, we were also introduced to a storyline we’re not so familiar with: a Housewife fighting cancer. Guerdy Abraira, who joined “RHOM” in the Season 4 reboot of the franchise and won the audience’s heart with her colossal personality and go-getter work ethic, is now allowing viewers into her journey with breast cancer. This will likely be the largest ongoing storyline of the season, and I think I speak for the entire Bravo universe when I say that I am sending Guerdy and her family nothing but love and light. The Bravo universe would probably be defined as people who dedicate a little too much time of their lives watching the network. Aside from Guerdy’s heartbreaking diagnosis, the Magic City ladies gave us the typical “RHOM” drama that puts the franchise in the upper echelon of the Housewife series. Veteran Alexia Echevarria kicked off Season 6 with an

apologetic tone. As the Bravo universe knows, last season wasn’t the greatest for our Cuban bombshell. Following tasteless remarks made toward “RHOM’s” Russian cast member Julia Lemigova, and digging up documents about former castmate and now friend of, Adriana de Moura’s ex-boyfriend, Alexia had a softer and more refreshing approach to handling conflict, inviting both ladies to the first event of the season — the “Nuevos Horizontes” party. A “friend of ” is a cast member who appears occasionally throughout the season, usually in an attempt to attain the full-time housewife position for the following season. Alexia sat down with both Julia and Adriana separately and hashed out their past grievances. Julia, who clearly wanted to pursue a deeper relationship with Alexia was quick to make amends with, however it wasn’t so black and white with Adriana, who said nasty things to both Alexia and former castmate turned friend of, Marysol Patton. Marysol, Alexia’s best friend, who has also had a major role on “RHOM” since its inception, seems to be the driving force behind Adriana’s isolation. Given, Adriana’s behavior in Season 5 was deplorable, she revealed that Marysol’s ex-boyfriend allegedly said he was never in love with Marysol, and also compared Alexia’s son's life-altering car

crash to her foot injury on the final Season 5 cast trip. While Alexia and Marysol are working through their relationship with Adriana, Dr. Nicole Martin is laughing all the way to the bank, as we got a sneak peek at Nicole’s new waterfront mansion that exemplifies Miami wealth. From new houses to fighting with old spouses, Lisa Hochstein, who arguably had the roughest storyline in Season 5, went through her first in-person deposition against her estranged husband Lenny Hochstein. A deposition is an i n for m at i on - g at h e r i ng testimony from a witness or the “deponent” which can potentially be used in trial according to a Cornell Law School webpage. While Lisa was so blatantly cheated on and left in the dust of this messy divorce process, she looks amazing and her new man Jody Glidden is a welcomed change from a shady plastic surgeon who threw both his children and 13-year marriage away. In one of the sweeter moments of the episode, Lisa says to her new boo, “If you love me now, you’re going to love me when this (divorce) is all said and done.” A sweet love note that was clearly rooted in so much pain. Heal yourself girl! New relationships seem to be the new fad on “RHOM” this season, as Lisa’s bestie Larsa Pippen, ex-wife of Scottie Pippen, got into the matchmaking mix when she

ILLUSTRATION BY TRACY ESCOBEDO

started dating Marcus Jordan, the son of Michael Jordan and teammate of Larsa’s ex-husband. Cougar alert! Just kidding. I actually love the relationship between the two. The chemistry is clearly there, and they genuinely seem to be in love. This was Larsa’s real claim to fame this episode aside from her issues with Guerdy at the Nuevos Horizontes party. “Nuevos Horizontes” or “New Horizons,” was the theme of Alexia’s party, and was the battleground for most of the premiere’s drama. Right off the bat, we get Larsa confronting Guerdy over calling her “fake.” To be clear, Larsa had absolutely no idea that Guerdy was going through health issues, but getting that omniscient perspective as a

viewer made it hard to see a woman with a breast cancer diagnosis fight over a flippant remark. Expectedly, Guerdy fled the conversation. The second, more entertaining blowout came when Julia clocked into work and confronted Marysol. Julia said it was unfair that she was putting pressure on Alexia to not invite Adriana to a party based on moving forward as a friend group, saying she put her best friend in a lose-lose situation. Much to my surprise, after Marysol muttered her “ay por favor” presumably to shut Julia down, she also looked to Alexia, her “bro” to step in and defend her. “Sometimes I feel like you have to fight your own battle,” Alexia said in her interview. Welp. What is Marysol to do when her

bro isn’t bro-ing? “Right now I really need you to step in my friend,” Marysol said in her interview following Alexia’s. Is this a new dawn of “RHOM?” A season where Alexia and Marysol (and Larsa, she’s a part of that clique too) might not be a united front? I’m not sure. What I do know is that this first episode was great. Tough conversations were had, alliances seemed to be shifting and a life-changing realization was had. This premiere was quintessential Real Housewives, and I can’t wait to see how the conflict unfolds later in the season. Follow the Spartan Daily on X (formerly Twitter) @SpartanDaily

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SPORTS

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 2023

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

Canilao’s Commentary: SJSU’s roster depth is vital By Nathan Canilao SENIOR STAFF WRITER

MAYA BENMOKHTAR | SPARTAN DAILY

SJSU freshman guard Jyah LoVett dribbles the ball in the Spartans’ home opener against Santa Clara University Monday.

Spartans lose in home opener against Santa Clara By Nathan Canilao

home against Santa Clara University on Monday night. San José State Freshman point women’s basketball guard Jyah LoVett started its season scored 13 points and with a loss after grabbed six rebounds. the Spartans were Freshman forward defeated 55-47 at Maya Anderson added nine points. “We held Santa BRONCOS Clara to 55 points, which is really tough to do because they can really score the ball,” SJSU head coach April Phillips said. “We just didn’t knock down enough shots … We SPARTANS turned the ball over way too much and that really hurt.” The Spartans led as much as six points in

SENIOR STAFF WRITER

55 47

the second quarter, but the Broncos cut the deficit to two as the first half ended. 18 of the Spartans’ 23 points in the first half came in the paint. SJSU used a 2-2-1 press early on, scoring 12 points off of 13 turnovers. SJSU led 23-21 at the intermission. The Broncos made some headway in the third quarter as they outscored

UPCOMING GAME Bellarmine vs. SJSU Nov. 9 @ 5 p.m. TV: NBC Sports BA

the Spartans 14-11. Santa Clara forced 9 turnovers in the third quarter alone, but SJSU was able to weather the storm to keep the game close heading into the fourth quarter. But the fourth quarter was all Broncos. S ant a C l ar a outscored SJSU 20-13 in the fourth quarter. The Spartans offense went cold, s h o ot i n g just 42.9% in the final quarter. The Spartans turned the ball 26 times which led to 22 Santa Clara points.

“I feel like it was just nerves and not being ready,” LoVett said about turning the ball over. The Spartans will have a quick turnaround as they are scheduled to face Bellarmine University at 5 p.m. Thursday at Provident Credit Union Event Center. The game is the first of a double header with SJSU’s men’s basketball team playing at 8 p.m. against Bethesda.

San José State head coach April Phillips knows that to get to a place where the Spartans are competitive in the Mountain West Conference, it’s going to take a deep team. In the first five minutes of SJSU’s 55-47 loss to Santa Clara University Monday, Phillips played nine of the team’s 10 players who suited up. Every player who checked into Monday’s game played at least seven minutes. “We’ve got some depth that, talent wise, are capable,” Phillips said. “It’s just a matter of trying to figure out what our rotation can be and how deep we can go. I think some of those questions were answered for me tonight.” It’s still early in the season, but building a long rotation of players who can contribute at any point of the game is vital for a team who doesn’t have a clear cut star player. The Spartans have seven newcomers including five freshmen and two transfers, all of whom look like they will play big roles this season. One of the new pieces on the team is freshman guard Jyah LoVett. Despite being one of the youngest players on the team, LoVett has already established herself as one of the team’s leaders. “I’m working on being able to lead my team on offense and defense,” LoVett said. “That’s what I’m here to do and that’s what brought me here.” The Spartans lacked a post presence on both sides of the floor last season, but Phillips seems to have found a rotation of players who she could use at different times of the game. Forwards Finau Tonga, Semaj Smith and Amhyia Moreland played a total of 44 minutes on the floor and combined for 12 points and 12 rebounds. Time will tell if the Spartans can make strides to become a winning team, but having the ability to play multiple players and not have a significant drop off is a good sign for the second year of the April Phillips rebuild.

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WOMEN'S VOLLEYBALL

SJSU loses second straight match By Lamar Moody STAFF WRITER

The San José State women’s volleyball team continues to struggle after falling to Mountain West Conference foe, Colorado State University 3-2 Thursday at Yoshihiro Uchida Hall. The Rams closed out the match with a win, out-scoring the Spartans 79-71. SJSU has now lost nine of its last 10 matches. The Spartans (12-15, 3-11 MWC) posted 11 kills against the Rams (15-10, 9-5 MWC) helping them win the first set 25-20. Colorado State dominated the second set from beginning to end, out-scoring SJSU 25-14, tying the match at one set a piece. During the third set, the Spartans fell behind early 15-7, but SJSU

RAMS

3 SPARTANS

overcame the deficit as freshman middle blocker Mari Lawton came into the game and provided a spark with two consecutive kills and one dig to help the Spartans swing the momentum to narrowly win the set 26-24. The Rams forced a fifth set by dominating the fourth, outscoring the Spartans 25-15. In the fifth set, SJSU could not find a rhythm and eventually lost the set 15-11, ultimately losing the match 3-2. “Overall our block game was on point tonight and I thought we did a nice job of controlling their offense because their offense is high powered,” SJSU head coach Todd Kress said. “If I had to give any constructive criticism for tonight’s game it would just be the fact that we got a little tentative in the fifth set.” Kress said there were a whole bunch of line up changes for Thursday’s matchup with only about 10 healthy players available for game action. “I appreciate them so much because they fought for every single point,” Kress said. “Colorado State is one of the more physical teams in the conference, so it was key to get them out of sorts to where we were able to dictate play.” He said he’s proud of his team as its roster is depleted but they were still able to push Colorado

State, who he thinks is one of the favorites to win the Mountain West Conference, to the very end going five sets. Senior middle blocker Jiana Lawson said the game plan going into the match was to serve aggressively, attack the defense and the weak spots and be disciplined with their block hands. “We lost statistically but I feel we won morally and culturally because we have been working towards that, to go into the locker room and feel like we have nothing left,” Lawson said. “The outcome isn’t ideal but we left it all out there and that’s the biggest win we can have.” Even though the Spartans didn’t get the win, junior setter Brooke Slusser recorded a triple-double, which is only the 13th triple-double in school history and the first by a Spartan since 2009. Slusser had 10 kills, 19 assists and 16 digs. “I’m not an actual hitter but I try my best and tonight I was just thinking about the shots that I saw the other hitters take,” Slusser said. Slusser said she credits her teammates for the triple double she recorded because the feedback she received from the reserve players on the bench helped tremendously. “If we could tweak a few things, we could finish this game out with a win next time,” Slusser said. “The

LAMAR MOODY | SPARTAN DAILY

San José State freshman setter Teya Nguyen (21) hits the ball in the Spartans loss to Colorado State University on Thursday.

I.Q. of our defense is growing every game, especially our blocking, which I feel was one of my biggest strengths tonight.” Slusser and outside hitter Nayeli Ti’a each recorded 10 kills Thursday night to lead the team. Ti’a also recorded her sixth double-double of the season with 12 digs, 10 kills, to go along with four blocks. Junior right setter Brooke Bryant had seven blocks, two of them being solo and five block assists. Junior middle blocker Alyssa Bjork also had seven blocks, which

was a career high. The Spartans would go on to drop their third-consecutive loss against the University of Wyoming 1-3 on Saturday. SJSU will look for its first win in two weeks when it’s scheduled to face the University of Utah at 6 p.m. at Yoshihiro Uchida Hall on Thursday.

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SPORTS

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 2023

MEN’S BASKETBALL

Spartans look to repeat success By Lamar Moody STAFF WRITER

NATHAN CANILAO | SPARTAN DAILY

SJSU guards Ryen Perry (left) and Latrell Davis (right) play defense in an exhibition game against Cal State East Bay on Saturday.

“Consecutive years (Cardenas has) been voted team captain by his teammates and I think that says a lot about an individual and there’s no doubt that he’s our strongest voice,” Miles said. Cardenas said there’s about nine new players, seven of which are freshmen, so the key is to get the new guys to understand what the team is trying to achieve on the court. “It ’s been a challenge grooming the new guys during the off-season but they’ve been putting in the work and doing a pretty good job of understanding what ’s expected from them,” Cardenas said. Senior forward Trey Anderson said the focus for the Spartans is veteran leadership and making sure the players who have been

players have to step up and play a big role, whether it’s offensively or defensively. “In the off-season, it was all about the returning guys taking a step forward and getting the younger guys involved,” junior guard Alvaro Cardenas said. “Omari was the senior leader last season but now it’s about having a committee of returning players that can contribute like Trey, MJ, Tibet and Garrett.” Cardenas started all 35 games last season, shooting 36% from the field, averaging 10 points a game along with three assists. Cardenas has also been unanimously voted one of the team captains along with Trey Anderson and Junior forward Robert Vailhola coming into the season.

CLASSIFIEDS 2

1. Spiteful 6. Soapstones, e.g. 11. Easy target 14. Sun Valley locale 15. Stave off 16. Not quite XL 17. Sidewalk social? 19. "That smarts!" 20. Jessica of "Fantastic Four" 21. Got out of the open 22. Hair protectors 24. Buys and sells 26. Magritte et al. 27. Dance involving a lot of partner switching? 31. "__ luck!" 34. "Frasier" role 35. Throw __ 36. Start to Miss 37. Father Damien's island 41. Passed 42. Pearl Mosque site 44. Gloria in Excelsis __ 45. Vetoes 47. "The Godfather" gathering? 51. Basketball defense 52. One catching a lot of waves

3 1 6 2

JOKIN’ AROUND What did the 0 say to the 8?

1 7 5 4 5 2 1 3 5 7 4

2 5 7 9

ACROSS

9 4 1 3

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UCI vs. SJSU Nov. 7 @ 7 p.m.

SUDOKU PUZZLE

Anderson said. “Finishing around the rim, rebounding, guarding the opponent’s most physical guy down low, just a little bit of everything.” Anderson said he’s looking to have an expanded role this season, with defense and rebounding setting the tone for the team moving forward. The Spartans are scheduled to open their season at home against the University of California, Irvine at 7 p.m. at Provident Credit Union Event Center.

UPCOMING GAME

Complete the grid so that every row, column and 3x3 box contains every digit from 1 to 9 inclusively.

CROSSWORD PUZZLE 1

on the team for a while improve on their numbers from last season. Like Moore, Anderson started all 35 games last season for the Spartans averaging 6.2 points and 2.6 rebounds per game. Anderson was also one of the top three-point shooters for the Spartans last season, shooting 38% from beyond the arc. “I have to do a little bit of everything because I know that I’m playing more of the four and not just the three this season,”

Nice Belt!

The San José State men ’s basketball team looks to get off to a hot start as it kicks off its season on Tuesday. Tim Miles, the reigning 2022-23 Mountain West Conference Coach of the Year, returns for his third season in San José and said he is expecting the team to make a huge jump this season. “We ’re looking to set the expectation. We want San José State to be recognized as a bonafide Mountain West successful program, ” Miles said. “We ’re dealing with some minor injuries right now but if we can get healthy, I really like our chances in the Mountain West this season.” The Spartans are looking to build off of momentum from last season as the team finished fifth in the Mountain West with an overall record of 21-24, with a 10-8 record in conference play. This was the most wins by SJSU since 1980 when it finished 22-9. Coming into the new season, the Spartans look to replace the productivity of 2022-23 Mountain West Conference Player of the Year Omari Moore. Moore went undrafted in the 2023 NBA draft, but signed a two-way contract with the Milwaukee Bucks and later signed with the Toronto Raptors before being waived again. Last season, Moore was a team captain who started all 35 games for the Spartans. He also led the Spartans in scoring with 17.4 points, 4.7 rebounds and 4.8 assists per game. Miles said in order to replace a talent like Moore, multiple

SOLUTIONS

56. Dynamites 58. Place of refuge 59. "Gentlemen Prefer Blondes" author 60. Grammy genre since 1989 61. Google users' gettogether? 64. Holiday harbinger 65. Department store employee 66. Result 67. Tedious card game 68. Pope piece 69. Crackerjack DOWN 1. Battery type 2. Simpson of fashion 3. Bossa nova cousin 4. Brenner Pass site 5. "... bring Him that __ soars on golden wing": Milton 6. Subduing 7. Enthusiastic 8. First name in comics villainy 9. Executive office piece 10. Concentrated, as tea 11. Crafty 12. Eagerly excited

13. Seats at a wedding, maybe 18. Flimsy, as a plot 23. Singer McEntire 25. Official country name until 1949 26. Rank-and-file mover? 28. Smoking gun, so to speak 29. Take a shine to 30. Former Fords 31. Kill time 32. One of Chekhov's "Three Sisters" 33. Important grade factor 38. Captive of the sea nymph Calypso 39. Kids' hangouts 40. Pt. of a monogram 43. Snootiness 46. Limerick site 48. "__ reasonable" 49. Very different, with "a" 50. Pharaoh's cross 53. Viking language 54. Still in the sack 55. Thus far 56. Bar order 57. Type of lamp 58. Neck of the woods 62. Shakespearean assents 63. Shooter's sphere

NOVEMBER 2

H I E D H A H K E P T U P O N S A F A R I A D H E R E P A T R I L E Y T W I N G E E N E V E N O M O L D E R D E E P E S T O N O R A P T Y O U D I D N T A L B U M T U R N Z O O S D I L L P R M E N Z O L A A L A R T A M S R U M O R M A H O G A N Y M A T B O S C G O F O R I T M E D E A E A R N A O S H A R I S T A P E T E R O S E C A N O E D B E E L I N E S S T O N E S S N L M E T E

8 7 9 1 6 4 2 6 1 7 3 5 3 5 4 9 2 8 7 8 2 6 5 3 9 3 6 2 4 1 4 1 5 8 7 9 6 4 8 5 1 2 5 2 7 3 9 6 1 9 3 4 8 7

2 3 5 9 4 8 6 7 1 4 1 9 8 5 7 3 2 6 7 9 3 1 8 4 5 6 2

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OPINION

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 2023

When is it too early to celebrate Christmas?

Vanessa Real STAFF WRITER

Christmas decorations should only go up on Dec. 1, not any sooner. I think it’s overboard for anyone to start their Christmas decorating any sooner than Dec. 1. The only exception is when Thanksgiving falls on an earlier date like Nov. 23. I grew up in a family that didn’t watch any Christmas movies, put up any sort of tree or get into the Christmas spirit until December started. We love fall. I specifically love how during fall, my mom adds pumpkin accented pieces to different things around the house. Not that pumpkins are only for Halloween and the month of November, but Christmas has candy canes, Santa, Christmas trees and genuinely so much more to represent the holiday season. My mom would fill up clear vases with mini pumpkins. She added Bath & Body Works seasonal soaps in our bathrooms, so scents of “crisp fall leaves” and “pumpkin and marshmallows” would fill our halls. After Halloween, I get excited for Thanksgiving, which then will make me excited for Christmas. I believe each month has its own dedicated celebration especially during the last three months of the year. Even if someone does not do anything for Thanksgiving or celebrate it, I still think the fall season should be enjoyed. It’s not that I am more into fall rather than winter time, it’s it s just the timing of when to start celebrating Christmas.

Growing up in the East Bay Area, my type of fall weather doesn’t actually start until after Halloween. That crisp 64 to 68 degrees always feels so refreshing when November starts. The trees swaying in the wind and leaves falling on the ground does not correlate to celebrating Christmas to me. Those are the ultimate aesthetics of fall, which should not be overlooked by the anticipation of the wintery holiday. I still want to see the people around me drink pumpkin-spice lattes, even if I don’t personally like them, but just because it’s the fall thing to do. The fashion during fall, specifically November, is the most exciting to wear and see from people. Yes people can do the exact same thing during Christmas time, but it feels inexplicably different. I am usually someone who likes to wear very bright and colorful clothes in the spring and summer, but I start wearing my darker or more neutral colors once November hits. People themselves are not the only problem when it comes to setting up for Christmas too early. Stores such as Target, Safeway, Walgreens or any store that sells decorations and candy for the holiday season, will put out Christmas decorations and foods a week before Halloween is over. These stores know how big Christmas is to people. They keep their Halloween decorations and treats out until they start slapping Santa’s face throughout the store before Halloween even happens. You don’t have to celebrate Thanksgiving to want to celebrate the beauty of fall either. November should not be left in the dust as a full month of anticipation for the next. When you start anticipating Christmas on Dec. 1, I think that’s when the countdown is the most fun. Knowing that you have exactly 25 days of hardcore Christmas spirit, instead of almost 50 days of waiting sounds much better to me.

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Maya Benmokhtar STAFF WRITER

Once the Halloween pumpkins are gone, the Christmas lights go up. I take my Halloween costume off while listening to jingle bells rock on full volume. Christmas is my favorite holiday, of course I’m going to bring my decorations and jolly attitude out starting Nov. 1. Honestly, now that I am an adult, there is more excitement for me in the Christmas preparation than there is on the actual day it is celebrated. I love wandering the aisles of Target, Hobby Lobby, T.J. Maxx and Homegoods, scouting out some super cute and fun decorations and even gifts. If people prepare for Christmas early, they get a first look and grab some exclusive items that might not be around after the Black Friday chaos. Early celebrations give you more time to select thoughtful gifts for your loved ones and take advantage of sales and discounts. By starting early, you can spread out the holiday tasks and reduce the stress associated with last-minute preparations. Although the fall is a beautiful season, I wouldn’t mind skipping it entirely. I genuinely hate the smells and tastes associated with fall. The pumpkin spice drinks and scented candles or the cinnamon applewood essential oils make me want to barf. As you can imagine, I avoid stepping near any Bath & Body Works store during the fall season because I think I would faint. I don’t know if it is because growing up, my family never celebrated Thanksgiving, given that we are not American, but the excitement for fall and Thanksgiving has never existed for me.

I am a December baby, which may be part of the reason why I love the winter and simply cannot wait for this time of the year to come around. Not only do I get to celebrate my birthday, but also my favorite holiday, Christmas. As someone who plans and prepares for my birthday starting mid-September, I don’t feel like preparing for Christmas in early November is over the top. There is something so special about Christmas. With the bright and colorful lights and decorations, hot cocoa and romantic Christmas movies, it’s impossible not to bring my mood up. Celebrating Christmas early can be a wonderful way to extend the holiday spirit and make the most out of this festive season. It allows you to enjoy the magic of Christmas for a more extended period of time and make the most of the many traditions, activities and decorations associated with the holiday. Usually, my family and I travel for the holidays. If I decorate and set up for Christmas early and then go abroad on the actual day Christmas is celebrated, it almost feels like I am celebrating twice. Who wouldn't want to celebrate Christmas in the Bay Area and then again in France? That is what I’ll be doing this year and I cannot wait. I have already started decorating my apartment with Christmas-themed blankets, lights and I was super excited to bring out my Christmas Hello Kitty mugs to enjoy a cup of hot chocolate while watching the Polar Express as my diffuser dispenses peppermint essential oil throughout my apartment. Next on my list of Christmas preparations is going to every store until I walk out with a pink Christmas tree, which I am certain will happen before next week. Ultimately, the decision to celebrate and prepare for Christmas early is a personal one, and from my experience, it can bring a lot of joy and warmth to your life. It's all about creating a festive atmosphere that makes you and those around you happy, whether it's in November or December, everyone should enjoy the holiday season and all the wonderful moments it brings. Follow Maya on X (formerly Twitter) @mayaben10

GRAPHIC BY ALICIA ALVAREZ

ABOUT

EDITORIAL STAFF

The Spartan Daily prides itself on being the San Jose State community’s top news source. New issues are published every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday throughout the academic year and online content updated daily. The Spartan Daily is written and published by San Jose State students as an expression of their First Amendment rights. Reader feedback may be submitted as letters to the editor or online comments.

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