2022-23 Toros pose for the picture that will be remembered forever. Photo courtesy of @CSUDHMBB on Twitter
By Raymond Castillo Sports Editor
The California State University, Dominguez Hills men’s basketball team has officially completed their 2022-2023 season after finishing 1-1 on their final road trip of the season. The Toros finished the season under .500 for the first time since the 2019-20 season when they went 14-15.
With two games to play in the season, the Toros embarked on a trip to Northern California for a matchup with San Francisco State University and Monterey Bay, knowing a single loss would knock them out of playoff contention.
The Toros landed in the Bay Area with a determined mindset to keep their season alive. They fought back and forth all game with the Gators, taking a six-point lead into halftime. SFSU did not go away easy as they climbed back into the game and took the lead with just under seven and a half minutes left in the game. The fighting Toros eventually tied the game on a three-pointer by standout player Jordan Hillstock with 31 seconds left on the clock.
With the game looking like it was going to go to overtime, John Bakke of SFSU slammed the door on the game and the Toros season with a game-winning bucket in the paint with only one-second remaining. Head coach, Steve Becker called an ensuing timeout to try to draw up his best play to save their season but ultimately fell short.
With heartbreak and defeat on their minds, the Toros made it to Monterey for the season finale to defeat the Otters handily, 78-66. Andre Ball led the way for the Toros with 14 of his own points to go along with six rebounds and one block. Senior, Hunter Seymour had a nice going away party for his final game with 14 points, 2 rebounds and a block.
The Toros did not go home empty-handed in the awards category as Sophomore, DJ Guest was named as a member of the All-CCAA Second Team. The Toro Guard/Forward was ranked fifth in rebounds per game (7), 13th in points per game (13.3), and 21st in points (305).
With a record of 12-16, Steve Becker and the Toros finished 9th in the California Collegiate Athletic Conference and missed the conference tournament for the first time since 2015-2016.
All Toros are slated to return except Seymour for Becker in his 10th season. That means a more mature roster for the head coach who will be entering his 10th season in the captain’s seat and has only seen one win in postseason play since he took over.
But Becker may not have the time or patience to see his roster mature as he owns a record of 115-145 (.442 winning percentage) at CSUDH. The roster may be full as of March, but the transfer portal is an ever-increasing presence in collegiate athletics, and Dominguez Hills is no stranger to it. With players having the option of transferring schools at will, and the increasing pressure to win, the roster for Becker could look a whole lot different as he searches for his perfect mix to improve his career record.
The 2023-24 season does not officially start until October, but Becker and his staff have a lot of work to do to bring the Toros and their fans the success they so desperately desire.
