NorCal preseason No. 3 Giants men's basketball open at home at 5 p.m. Nov. 1 vs. Feather River

By Nick Giannandrea

COS ATHLETICS

College of the Sequoias returns only two players who suited up for last season's California Community College men's basketball championship game.

But that doesn't mean expectations are any lower for a program that is ranked No. 3 in the Northern California preseason poll by the California Community College Coaches Association.

The Giants, who have made four consecutive trips to the state's Elite Eight under coach Dallas Jensen, launch the season at 5 p.m. Nov. 1 against Feather River at Porter Field House.

"If we're right, we can be really good," said Jensen, entering his sixth season at Sequoias, including the abbreviated COVID season in 2021. "The good thing with these guys is they are buying into winning above all else. We may have some bumps and bruises along the way, but by the time conference rolls around, we'll hit our stride and compete at a high level."

The Giants welcome back a key cog from a team that went 27-6 overall last season, won the Central Valley Conference title and reached the state final in 6-foot-7 wing/forward Jaden Haire (Hanford West High).

Haire, who has already committed to NCAA Division I Texas A&M Corpus Christi, was a first-team all-Central Valley Conference selection last season while averaging 11.3 points, 8.2 rebounds and 1.2 assists per game. Haire had four rebounds and an assist during Sequoias' 59-51 loss to West Valley in last season's state championship game.

"He's our anchor and a big part of our success last season," Jensen said. "He should be an absolute monster on the glass. We will lean heavily on him for minutes. In order for us to have a great season, he's got to produce the entire year."

Also expected to play a crucial role for the Giants this season is 6-5 wing Davis White (Santa Clarita), who averaged 5.8 points, 2.7 rebounds and 1.0 assists while earning freshman all-CVC honors.

Jensen said White has made major improvements in his game during the offseason, and is receiving a lot of recruiting attention from D-I and D-II programs.

"He's more confident," Jensen said. "He's guarding it better, attacking the rim better and also just shooting at a much higher clip, which is huge for our team. I expect him to have an impactful year for us."

The Giants have four other players with some level of experience in the program in 6-4 sophomore Tyree Gill (Sacramento), 6-2 freshman guard Carter Glick (Mt. Whitney), 6-4 guard Leyton McGovern (Anderson, Ind.) and 6-7 wing-forward Cameron Kelly (Decatur, Ga.).

Gill played for Sequoias during the 2022-2023 season, averaging 3.2 points, 3.2 rebounds and 1.5 assists in 30 games, including 10 starts. He missed last season with a knee injury.

"He's just starting to show signs of his old self," Jensen said. "He knows what it takes to win at this level. He's always been an elite slasher. but as his legs get under him, he will showcase his defense for us."

Glick, a freshman, missed the Giants' first 11 games last season, returned to make both of his 3-point attempts during a 75-61 victory over Gavilan on Dec. 20, then missed the rest of the season with an achilles injury.

"He's the best spot-up shooter in the program," Jensen said. "I'm excited to have him healthy."

McGovern, who initially enrolled at Wallace-Selma (Ala.) Community College, and Kelly, who transferred after signing but not playing for DS-II Edward Waters (Fla.) University, joined the program as practice participants in January.

Jensen said that McGovern, who has committed to D-I Cal State Bakersfield, is as athletic as anyone in the state.

"He's phenomenal in transition and in the open floor," Jensen said. "He has the ability to make game-changing plays. And, his game is still maturing and developing. He will only get better and better."

Kelly, according to Jensen, has improved as much as any player in the program over the past nine months and will provide the versatility of being able to play and defend any position on the floor.

"He's the ultimate glue guy," Jensen said. "He really wants to win above all else. He will play a lot of minutes in a lot of different roles."

Sequoias welcomes two sophomore transfers in 5-10 guard Jayson Mathews (Sacramento) and 6-0 guard Raydon Thorson (Queen Creek, Ariz.)

Mathews was recruited to D-I Bethune Cookman (Fla.) but did not play there. Jensen said he is an elite on-ball defender and offensive facilitator.

"He makes excellent decisions with the ball," Jensen said. "He'll contribute on both ends of the floor. He will play an integral role in our success."

Thorson, who started at Tallahassee (Fla.) Community College, is described as a gritty, tough leader and a potential D-I point guard.

"I love his ability to lead," Jensen said. "Late in games, he's a guy who is going to keep us moving in the right direction."

The Giants also feature three incoming freshmen, including 6-7 wing/forward Ahmad Clark (Atlanta). He is the younger brother of Cameron Clark, who helped Sequoias to consecutive trips to the state's Elite Eight before moving on to Cal State Bakersfield.

"He's extremely toolsy," Jensen said. "He can put the ball on the deck. He can shoot it. He can play in the post. If he can figure out how to play with a motor, he's going to be very good."

The other freshmen recruits are 6-1 guard Kevin Anderson (Atlanta) and 6-8 wing Jamaal Phatty (Frankfurt, Germany).

Anderson is one of the team's better shooters and a solid defender, while Phatty is an excellent passer who is strong in transition and already drawing D-I interest. Jensen said he has the potential to play beyond college with further development.

The Giants will battle-test their revamped lineup with a non-conference schedule that features seven teams ranked in the preseason NorCal or Southern California polls, including North No.1 San Francisco (7 p.m. Dec. 6 in San Francisco) and South No. 3 Citrus (4 p.m. Jan. 22 at Citrus). Sequoias also faces South No. 10 Cerritos, No. 15 Los Angeles Southwest and No. 17 Allan Hancock, as well as North No. 13 Diablo Valley and No. 18 Contra Costa.

Sequoias faces further state-ranked opposition in North No. 11 Columbia, No. 17 Lemoore, No. 17 Fresno City and No. 19 Porterville when it begins defense of the CVC title at 6 p.m. Jan. 8 at Coalinga.

"It's a different looking roster than what we've had," Jensen said. "We've had bulk upfront, but now we're a little more athletic. We should play faster. I'm very intrigued and interested to see what we look like the first couple of weeks. But I also see the promise of what we could become once January rolls around."