The men’s basketball team had their first home game on November 14th against San Joaquin Delta and, as was expected, Yuba won. But this year’s team wasn’t quite as strong as some of the previous teams. The game was filled with turnovers and missed layups.
In the first half, the team struggled offensively, and their ability to stay ahead was due to their full court press defensively. Donald Jackson, one of the five returning sophomores, worked hard to distract the other team which put heavy pressure on Delta’s pointguard. This lead to Delta making multiple turnovers in Yuba territory before they could even make an attempt at their own basket.
Freshmen players Elishja Duplechan and Isaiah Bates have already put themselves on the stats boards for multiple categories from shooting to rebounding. Duplechan has the highest amount of points per game on the team at 17.3 ppg. Although the season will not start for the 49ers until December 20th, they are already doing well in their pre-season games, only losing one of the four games they have played so far.
Last year, the men’s basketball team went undefeated in their conference, so this year’s team has a lot to live up to. Basketball has always been the most successful team at Yuba college. Coach Doug Cornelius has been coaching at Yuba for 17 years, and the flags from his many conference championships can be seen flying in the gymnasium.
Alongside them, there are a few state flags where Yuba made it to the “Elite 8”, and one from when they were runners up for the state championship.Their reputation has garnered them many fans. The stands were filled on both sides of the gym, and along with families of the players, there were alumni and many athletes from other sports such as the women’s basketball team and the volleyball team.The men’s team has support from fans and sponsors, but they also have a legacy hanging over their heads, and hopefully by the time they reach their first conference game, they are prepared to add another flag to the gymnasium.
I am a 3rd year Yuba College student majoring in Biology. I am transferring to Chico Spring 2018. I enjoy working in a scientific field, where my passion lies in environmental ecological and evolutionary studies. I also enjoy using my extroverted tendencies in communication and media classes. Other than school I am married and have 8 pets. Please feel free to message me or leave comments about any questions or requests.
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