CALIFORNIA STATE POLYTECHNIC UNIVERSITY, POMONA

Bronco Sports News

For Immediate Release

Thursday, October 14, 2004

Contact: Paul Helms

(909) 869-2812

 

 

MEN’S BASKETBALL

PRESEASON MEDIA NOTES

 

Final 2003-04 CPP Record: 21-7. Final CCAA Record: 17-5 (3rd place)

Final 2003-04 Regional Ranking: 6

 

Broncos Hoping For Another Postseason Experience: Cal Poly Pomona’s men’s basketball team, fresh off making back-to-back NCAA Division II playoff appearances for the first time in the program’s history, begins practice Friday in preparation for the 2004-05 season. The Broncos are coming off another historic season. Cal Poly Pomona went 21-7 and notched its second straight 20-win season for the first time in the program’s history. The Broncos were 17-5 in the California Collegiate Athletic Association last year and set a new program standard for most conference wins in a season. The Broncos had a successful follow-up to their 2002-03 season, which ranks as one of the best in the program’s history.  Cal Poly Pomona won the 2003 West Regional and advanced to the national quarterfinals for only the second time in the program’s history and the first since the 1964. The 23 wins tied the program mark for most victories, also set by the 1964 squad. Cal Poly Pomona returns three starters and seven players overall from last year’s squad, including preseason All-American Jeff Bonds (Sr., Compton, Mayfair HS) and All-CCAA and All-West Region selection David Sybesma (Sr., Corona, Corona Centennial HS).

 

Where We Left Off: Cal Poly Pomona’s men’s basketball team finished the 2003-04 season with a 21-7 record and advanced to the NCAA Division II playoffs for the second straight season. The Broncos, the No. 6 seed, lost a heartbreaking 86-83 decision to eventual regional champion Humboldt State. Jeff Bonds (Sr., Compton, Mayfair HS) had a sensational game, pouring in 26 points and leading four Broncos in double figures. Jonathan Boyd (Jr., Fontana, Etiwanda HS) had a career-high 17 points and knocked down five 3-pointers, while David Sybemsa (Sr., Corona, Corona Centennial HS) and Jonathan Williams had 16 points each. Sybemsa also had a career-high nine assists. Humboldt State hit an amazing 15 of its 20 attempts from behind the 3-point arc. The Broncos set a new program standard by winning 17 California Collegiate Athletic Association games while finishing third in the conference with a 17-5 mark. The Broncos also notched their second straight 20-win season for the first time ever.

 

 

The Kamansky File: Cal Poly Pomona Head Coach Greg Kamansky is beginning his fifth season as the leader of the Broncos. In his first four years as the head coach, Kamansky has guided the Broncos to a 79-33 overall record. His winning percentage of .705 is the best in the program’s history. He led the Broncos to a 21-7 record last season and into the NCAA Division II playoffs for the second straight season. That was a successful follow-up to the sensational season in 2002-03 when he guided the Broncos to the West Region championship and the program’s first appearance in the national quarterfinals in 39 years. In the 2001-02 season, Kamansky guided the Broncos to an 18-9 overall record and a 15-7 mark in the CCAA, which was good enough for third place in the conference. As the interim coach four years ago, Kamansky guided a team picked to finish ninth in the CCAA to a 17-10 record and the brink of an NCAA playoff berth. The 17-10 record was the best-ever for a first-year coach in the program’s history. Kamansky was an assistant coach at Cal Poly Pomona for two seasons before succeeding Tim Rapp.

 

The Name Is Bonds; Jeff Bonds: Cal Poly Pomona’s Jeff Bonds is well on his way to  becoming one of the best players in the history of the program. Bonds (Jr., Compton, Mayfair HS) led the Broncos in scoring for a second straight year last season with a 17.3 point per game average. He enters the season third on the Broncos’ all-time scoring list and is just 22 points behind second-place Julian Hammond and 54 points behind the program’s all-time leading scorer, Lucas LeCour. Bonds was at his best once again in the postseason, pouring in a team-high 26 points in the Broncos’ first-round loss to Humboldt State. In 2003, Bonds averaged 19.5 points per game in the Broncos’ four playoff contests. The highlight was a career-high 31-point outburst that helped the Broncos upend Cal State San Bernardino, 91-84, in double overtime in the regional championship game. He also scored 20 points in a semi-final victory over Cal State Bakersfield. He was named the West Regional Most Outstanding Player after averaging 19.7 points and 5.8 rebounds in the three regional contests. Bonds was named to the All-CCAA first team for the second straight season and also earned first-team NABC All-West Region honors as well. Bonds also received second-team CoSIDA All-Region honors as well. He was the only CCAA player to receive honorable mention All-America honors this season by Street & Smith’s, the second year he has been honored by the publication.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fired Up About Sybesmania: Cal Poly Pomona forward David Sybesma (Sr., Corona, Corona Centennial HS) returns for his fourth season with the program and he, too, will go down as one of the best players in the program’s history. Sybesma earned first-team All-CCAA honors last season after finishing second on the team with a 14.0 points per game average. He was also second on the team in rebounding with 5.6 boards per game. He also continued his knack of hitting big-time shots for the Broncos, sinking a 3-pointer in the final seconds to send a critical home game against Cal State Stanislaus into overtime. In 2003, he made one of the biggest shots in the program’s history. Sybesma hit a 14-foot leaner in the lane to beat the buzzer and send the West Regional championship game against Cal State San Bernardino into overtime. Cal Poly Pomona eventually won the game in double overtime to advance to the Elite Eight. He was the only player to start all of the Broncos’ first 30 games, only to miss the Elite Eight game against Kentucky Wesleyan because of a severely infected toe. Sybesma was second on the team in scoring that year with a 10.7 points per game average and was another player who stepped up his production in the playoffs. He averaged 16.3 points per game and led the Broncos with 7.3 rebounds per game. Sybesma was named to the All-CCAA second team in 2003.

 

Look Who’s New: The Broncos are welcoming five players to their program this season and four of the five are freshman. The lone upperclassmen is Matt Nelsen, a 6-foot-4 guard from New Mexico Highlands. The Broncos are also excited about first-year players Kevin Neveu (Fr., San Leandro, St. Joseph Notre Dame HS), Bill Forelli (Fr., Gig Harbor, WA, Gig Harbor HS), Ryan Chisholm (Fr., Richmond, Marin Catholic HS) and Kyle Kraus (Fr., Wasco, Wasco HS). In addition, Kaelen Daniels (Fr., Compton, Artesia HS), who redshirted last year, is expected to make major contributions this year in his first season on the active roster.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

RETURNING PLAYER NOTES

 

5          JASON BURRELL (G, So., Rancho Cucamonga, St. Mark’s Prep)

2003-04: Averaged 1.2 points, 0.6 rebounds and 0.7 assists per game. Appeared in 23 games.

Season Highs: Points – 5 at Cal State Stanislaus (1-31-04); Rebounds – 3 vs. UC San Diego (3-6-04); Assists – 5 vs. Grand Canyon (3-5-04).

Career Highs: Points – 5 at Cal State Stanislaus (1-31-04); Rebounds – 3 vs. UC San Diego (3-6-04); Assists – 5 vs. Grand Canyon (3-5-04).

 

10        BILLY HOFMAN (G, So., Sierra Madre, La Canada HS)

2003-04: Averaged 1.1 points, 0.4 rebounds and 0.8 assists per game. Appeared in 19 games.

Season Highs: Points – 4 vs. Western Washington (12-17-03); Rebounds – 1 vs. Grand Canyon (3-5-04), vs. Sonoma State (2-21-04), vs. San Francisco State (2-20-04), at Grand Canyon (1-10-04), vs. Chico State (1-2-04), vs. Western Washington (12-17-03), at Cal State San Bernardino (12-2-03); Assists – 3 vs. Chico State (1-2-04).

Career Highs: Points – 4 vs. Western Washington (12-17-03); Rebounds – 1 vs. Grand Canyon (3-5-04), vs. Sonoma State (2-21-04), vs. San Francisco State (2-20-04), at Grand Canyon (1-10-04), vs. Chico State (1-2-04), vs. Western Washington (12-17-03), at Cal State San Bernardino (12-2-03); Assists – 3 vs. Chico State (1-2-04).

 

11        JONATHAN BOYD (G, Jr., Fontana, Etiwanda HS)

2003-04: Averaged 7.1 points, 2.6 rebounds and 1.2 assists per game. Scored career-high 17 points in NCAA Division II West Region playoff game. Appeared in 28 games and started eight times. Was fourth on the team in scoring.

Season Highs: Points – 17 vs. Humboldt State (3-12-04); Rebounds – 5 vs. Chico State (1-2-04), vs. Western Washington (12-17-03), vs. North Dakota State (11-28-03); Assists – 4 at UC San Diego (1-9-04).

Career Highs: Points – 17 vs. Humboldt State (3-12-04); Rebounds – 5 vs. Chico State (1-2-04), vs. Western Washington (12-17-03), vs. North Dakota State (11-28-03), at San Francisco State (2-28-03); Assists – 4 at UC San Diego (1-9-04).

 

20        HERVEY MALONE II (G, Jr., Pittsburgh, Pittsburg HS)

2003-04: Averaged 5.6 points, 2.8 rebounds, 1.1 assists per game. Appeared in 28 games and started 27 times. Was sixth on the team in scoring.

Season Highs: Points – 16 vs. Western Washington (12-17-03); Rebounds – 7 vs. Sonoma State (2-21-04), vs. Cal State Stanislaus (2-6-04); Assists – 5 at Hope International (11-22-03).

Career Highs: Points – 16 vs. Western Washington (12-17-03); Rebounds – 7 vs. Sonoma State (2-21-04), vs. Cal State Stanislaus (2-6-04); Assists – 5 at Hope International (11-22-03), vs. Alaska Fairbanks (3-14-03).

 

22        DION COOK (G, So., Canoga Park, Chaminade HS)

2003-04: Averaged 3.2 points, 1.6 rebounds and 0.9 assists per game. Appeared in all 28 games for the Broncos.

Season Highs: Points – 9 at Sonoma State (1-16-04); Rebounds – 5 vs. Cal State Dominguez Hills (1-24-04); Assists – 4 at UC Davis (2-27-04).

Career Highs: Points – 9 at Sonoma State (1-16-04); Rebounds – 5 vs. Cal State Dominguez Hills (1-24-04); Assists – 4 at UC Davis (2-27-04).

 

32        JEFF BONDS (F, Sr., Compton, Mayfair HS)

2003-04: Led the Broncos with 17.3 points and 6.0 rebounds per game. Also averaged 1.7 assists per game. Scored a game-high 26 points against Humboldt State in NCAA Division II playoff game. Earned first-team All-CCAA and first-team All-West Region honors.

Season Highs: Points – 26 vs. Humboldt State (3-12-04), at Hope International (11-22-03); Rebounds – 10 vs. Sonoma State (2-21-04); Assists – 4 at Cal State Bakersfield (1-30-04), at Cal State San Bernardino (12-2-03).

Career Highs: Points – 31 vs. Cal State San Bernardino (3-17-03); Rebounds – 12 vs. Montana State-Billings (12-30-02); Assists – 6 vs. Montana State-Billings (12-30-02).

 

33        DAVID SYBESMA (F, Sr., Corona, Corona Centennial HS)

2003-04: Averaged 14.0 points, 5.6 rebounds and 2.8 assists per game. Had 16 points, eight rebounds and career-high nine assists against Humboldt State in NCAA Division II playoff game. Earned first-team All-CCAA and second-team All-West Region honors.

Season Highs: Points – 27 at Cal State Stanislaus (1-31-04); Rebounds – 10 vs. Cal State Stanislaus (2-6-04), at Cal State Stanislaus (1-31-04), vs. Cal State Dominguez Hills (1-24-04), at San Francisco State (1-17-04); Assists – 9 vs. Humboldt State (3-12-04)

Career Highs: Points – 27 at Cal State Stanislaus (1-31-04); Rebounds – 10 vs. Cal State Stanislaus (2-6-04), at Cal State Stanislaus (1-31-04), vs. Cal State Dominguez Hills (1-24-04), at San Francisco State (1-17-04), vs. Cal State Bakersfield (3-15-03), vs. Cal State Dominguez Hills (1-3-03); Assists – 9 vs. Humboldt State (3-12-04).