By Jeremy Gonzalez, Sports Editor
For the past three seasons, the Toros men’s basketball team has qualified for the CCAA postseason but has been unable to get past the first round woes that haunt them, losing to Chico State in 2017, Cal Poly Pomona in 2018 and Cal State East Bay last season.
But with seven players returning from last season and new blood coming in, the Toros will be looking good not just this season, but in the foreseeable future.
Steve Becker became the head coach of the Toros at the start of the 2015-16 season, after serving as interim coach for parts of two seasons after the program had fallen into disarray. The Toros finished last in the conference in Becker’s first year but also posted 10 wins for the first time in three seasons. Each year since the team has made the playoffs.
The Toros will look different after the departures of David Howard, the team’s leading rebounder last season, and Mikey Hatfield, the team’s leading blocker last season, but are bringing back three key returners: sophomore Alex Garcia, junior Colten Kresl, and senior Wonder Smith.
Garcia, a 6’4” guard out of Rolling Hills Prep, made a huge impact last season, averaging nearly 50 percent from the field and 48 from 3-point range, starting in 20 of 28 games and became the first Toro to win CCAA Freshman of the Year honors.
Kresl achieved All-CCAA First Team honors last season while posting the second best 3-point shooting season in the program’s history, draining 69 three-pointers. Only John Nijoma (1986-87) made more three-point field goals in a season (74).
Smith received All-CCAA Honorable Mention Honors in his junior year and led all Toros in assists with 69 last season, and tied the team lead in steals with 25.
In the offseason, Becker looked to add size and length to his roster through transfers and the incoming freshman class. He got the size in juniors Kaden Bradley and Nick Kornieck, who stands at 6’7” and 6’8” respectively. Junior center Armstrong Ojunkwu, who stands at 6’10”, also joined the Toros this offseason.
The crop of freshmen joining the Toros this season includes guard Jordan Hilstock, who was first-team all-league twice at Vista High School; and forward Will Crawford, who won the 2016 CIF and State Open Division Championships with Bishop Montgomery High School.
“In this recruiting class we wanted to add more size and athleticism; all while recruiting hard-working winners and academically driven people into our program,” Becker said in an interview with Toros Athletics. “We believe this group of newcomers fill those needs very well.”
With the current roster, the Toros are predicted to finish seventh in the conference according to the CCAA Coaches’ Preseason Poll.
Toros basketball begins its season on the road in Washington against Western Washington Nov. 8 and Simon Fraser Nov. 9 before coming back to Carson for their home opener against Fresno Pacific on Nov. 14 at 7 p.m in the Torodome.
The Toros played two exhibition games to start the season, both against Divison I schools. They lost 81-70 to Cal State Northridge Oct. 28, but then traveled to Fullerton, Oct 31 and knocked off the Titans 83-76.
