CALIFORNIA STATE POLYTECHNIC UNIVERSITY, POMONA

Bronco Sports News

For Immediate Release

Tuesday, Jan. 25, 2005

Contact: Paul Helms

(909) 869-2812

 

MEN’S BASKETBALL

MEDIA NOTES

 

2004-05 CPP Record: 11-4. CCAA Record: 6 -2

2004-05 Regional Ranking: 10

 

Broncos Try To Keep Momentum Going On The Road: Cal Poly Pomona’s men’s basketball team, which has won 10 of its last 11 games, will try to continue its winning ways on the road this week in key conference games. The Broncos, after thrilling the home fans in a dramatic 70-67 victory over five-time defending California Collegiate Athletic Association champion Cal State San Bernardino Friday night and then subduing UC San Diego on Saturday, will play at Cal State Dominguez Hills on Wednesday night in Carson and then face California Collegiate Athletic Association newcomer Cal State Monterey Bay on Saturday in Seaside. Cal Poly Pomona will play its next four games on the road. The Broncos will also play at San Francisco State on Friday, Feb. 4 and at Sonoma State on Saturday, Feb. 5 before returning home for a Feb. 11 showdown with Cal State Bakersfield. Cal Poly Pomona is currently tied for second place in the conference, one game back of first-place Cal State Bakersfield. The Broncos are coming off another successful season. Cal Poly Pomona, which has made the NCAA Division II playoffs in consecutive years for the first time in the program’s history, went 21-7 last season and notched its second straight 20-win season for the first time ever. 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).

 

About Last Week: The Broncos ran their winning streak to four games after sweeping a pair of California Collegiate Athletic Association contest in Kellogg Gym. The highlight of the weekend was an exciting Pack the Gym Night victory over Cal State San Bernardino on Friday in front of a regular-season record crowd of 1,672. David Sybesma (Sr., Corona, Corona Centennial HS) led the way with 20 points, including a tiebreaking 3-pointer with 38 seconds left that put the Broncos ahead for good. Cal State San Bernardino sliced the Bronco lead to one point, 58-57, but Jonathan Boyd (Jr., Fontana, Etiwanda HS) hit a pair of clutch free throws with 11 seconds to clinch the game for Cal Poly Pomona. Sybesma had six rebounds and four assists to go along with his 20 points. Jeff Bonds (Sr., Compton, Mayfair HS) had 12 points, including a key steal and driving layup that tied the score at 54-54. After a Cal State San Bernardino turnover, the Broncos got the ball back and Sybesma hit his memorable 3-point shot. Cal Poly Pomona completed the weekend sweep with a 71-55 victory over UC San Diego. The Broncos broke out to leads of 14-2, 23-8, 30-11 before UC San Diego closed the first half with an 8-0 run that made it 30-19 at halftime. Cal Poly Pomona quickly opened up a 15-point lead in the second half and built leads as large as 19. Sybesma capped his tremendous weekend with 18 points, five rebounds and five assists, while Cook added a career-high 16 points. Bonds had 15 points, five rebounds, three assists and three steals. Kaelen Daniels (Fr., Compton, Artesia HS) and Kevin Neveu (Fr., San Leandro, St. Joseph Notre Dame HS) had six points each.

 

Sybesma Earns CCAA Player Of The Week Honors: Cal Poly Pomona’s David Sybesma (Sr., Corona, Corona Centennial HS) has been named the Wilson California Collegiate Athletic Association Men’s Basketball Player of the Week for the week of Jan. 17-23. Sybesma led the Broncos to a pair of victories last week, including a thrilling 60-57 victory over Cal State San Bernardino on Friday. Sybesma scored a game-high 20 points, including a 3-pointer with 38 seconds left that broke a 54-54 tie and gave the Broncos the lead for good. Sybesma added a game-high 18 points, five assists, five rebounds and two steals while leading the Broncos to a 71-55 victory over UC San Diego on Saturday. For the week, Sybesma averaged 19.0 points per game on 56.5 percent shooting. He also averaged 5.5 rebounds, 4.5 assists and 1.5 steals.

 

Head to Head: Cal Poly Pomona is 29-28 all-time against Cal State Dominguez Hills and won both games against the Toros last season for the first time since the 2000-01 season. The Broncos prevailed in Kellogg Gym, 72-62, on Jan. 24 behind 14 points each from Jeff Bonds (Sr., Compton, Mayfair HS) and Michael Ridgway. Cal Poly Pomona also won in Carson, 71-62, behind 21 points and nine rebounds from Bonds. Cal Poly Pomona will be facing CCAA newcomer Cal State Monterey Bay for the first time.

 

Where We Stand: Cal Poly Pomona finds itself at the top or near the top of several key California Collegiate Athletic Association statistics. The Broncos lead the conference in scoring margin (+10.3), scoring defense (61.9 per game) and assist-turnover ratio (1.17). The team is fifth in scoring (72.2 per game). The Broncos are also third in field-goal percentage (47.3 percent). Jeff Bonds (Sr., Compton, Mayfair HS) leads the conference in scoring (17.7 points per game), while David Sybesma (Sr., Corona, Corona Centennial HS) leads in scoring in conference games only (18.1 points per game) and is fourth overall (16.8). Bonds also leads the conference in blocked shots (1.27 per game) and is third in steals (2.20 per game). Billy Hofman (So., Sierra Madre, La Canada HS) is sixth in assist/turnover ratio (1.93).

 

The Kamansky File: Cal Poly Pomona Head Coach Greg Kamansky is beginning his fifth season as the leader of the Broncos. Kamansky has guided the Broncos to an 90-37 overall record. His winning percentage of .709 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 (Sr., Compton, Mayfair HS) became the program’s all-time leading scorer during a 26-point performance against Western Washington on Nov. 27. Bonds surpassed the old mark of 1,302 held by Lucas LeCour and now has 1,514 points in his Cal Poly Pomona career. He currently leads the California Collegiate Athletic Association in scoring with 17.7 points per game. He also leads the Broncos in rebounding, steals and blocks. He has already been named CCAA Player of the Week twice this season. Bonds led the Broncos in scoring for a second straight year last season with a 17.3 point per game average. He earned first-team All-CCAA honors for the second straight season and also earned first-team NABC All-West Region honors as well. He 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 led the team in scoring (14.4 points) and rebounding (5.8 per game) for the season and was named to the All-CCAA first team. 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. He is currently second on the team in scoring with a 16.8 points per game average and is coming off a sensational weekend against Cal State San Bernardino and UC San Diego that earned him California Collegiate Athletic Association Men’s Basketball Player of the Week honors. He has climbed to fifth on the all-time scoring list with 1,138 points in his career. 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 senior 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.

 

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.

 

PLAYER NOTES:

 

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

Last Week: Had three points, one rebound, four assists, and seven steals against UC San Diego on Saturday; had two points, two rebounds against Cal State San Bernardino on Friday.

2004-05: Averaging 4.7 points, 2.1 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game. Currently is second on the team in assists and leads in 3-point field-goal shooting percentage (.567).

Season Highs: Points – 12 at Grand Canyon (12-18-04); Rebounds – 6 vs. BYU-Hawaii (1-3-05); Assists – 6 at Cal State Stanislaus (1-15-05), vs. Seattle University (12-14-04).

Career Highs: Points – 12 at Grand Canyon (12-18-04); Rebounds – 6 vs. BYU-Hawaii (1-3-05); Assists – 6 at Cal State Stanislaus (1-15-05), vs. Seattle University (12-14-04).

 

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

Last Week: Had seven points, three rebounds, three steals and made two clutch free throws with 11 seconds left that sealed the win over Cal State San Bernardino on Friday; had five points, one rebound and two assists against UC San Diego on Saturday.

2004-05: Averaging 6.7 points, 2.5 rebounds and 1.5 assists per game. Is fifth on the team in scoring and is third on the team in 3-point field goals made (18).

Season Highs: Points – 15 at Grand Canyon (12-18-04); Rebounds – 5 vs. Sonoma State (12-3-04); Assists – 3 at Western Washington (11-27-04), vs. Saint Martin’s (11-26-04).

Career Highs: Points – 17 vs. Humboldt State (3-12-04); Rebounds – 5 vs. San Francisco State (12-4-04), 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)

Last Week: Had seven points, three rebounds and one assist against Cal State San Bernardino on Friday; had two points, five rebounds, two assists and one steal against UC San Diego on Saturday.

2004-05: Averaging 8.3 points, 3.5 rebounds and 1.1 assists per game. Is fourth on the team in scoring, first in 3-point field goals made (21) and second in 3-point field goal percentage (.447).

Season Highs: Points – 22 vs. BYU-Hawaii (1-3-05); Rebounds – 7 vs. Saint Martin’s (11-26-04); Assists – 3 at Western Washington (11-27-04).

Career Highs: Points – 22 vs. BYU-Hawaii (1-3-05); Rebounds – 7 vs. Saint Martin’s (11-26-04), 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)

Last Week: Had a career-high 16 points, four rebounds, three assists, and one steal against UC San Diego on Saturday; had six points, one assist, and one steal against Cal State San Bernardino on Friday.

2004-05: Averaging 8.7 points, 2.7 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game. Is third on the team in scoring and second in 3-pointers made (20).

Season Highs: Points – 16 vs. UC San Diego (1-22-05); Rebounds – 5 at Cal State L.A. (1-07-05), vs. Dominican University (12-29-04), vs. Vanguard (11-23-04); Assists – 4 at Cal State Bakersfield (1-08-05), vs. San Francisco State (12-4-04), at Western Washington (11-27-04).

Career Highs: Points – 16 vs. UC San Diego (1-22-05); Rebounds – 5 at Cal State L.A. (1-07-05), vs. Vanguard (11-23-04), vs. Cal State Dominguez Hills (1-24-04); Assists – 4 at Cal State Bakersfield (1-08-05), vs. San Francisco State (12-4-04), at Western Washington (11-27-04), at UC Davis (2-27-04).

 

23        MATT NELSEN (G, Sr., Santa Clarita, New Mexico Highlands)

Last Week: Went scoreless with two rebounds and one assist against Cal State San Bernardino on Friday; went scoreless in limited action against UC San Diego on Saturday.

2004-05: Averaging 2.4 points, 1.5 rebounds and 0.7 assists per game.

Season Highs: Points – 7 at Cal State L.A. (1-07-05); Rebounds – 4 at Cal State L.A. (1-07-05); Assists – 4 vs. San Francisco State (12-4-04).

Career Highs: First year with Broncos.

 

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

Last Week: Had 15 points, five rebounds, three assists, three steals, and two blocked shots against UC San Diego on Saturday; had 12 points, six rebounds, two assists, and three steals against Cal State San Bernardino on Friday.

2004-05: Averaging 17.7 points, 6.3 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game. Leads the California Collegiate Athletic Association in scoring and also leads the team in rebounding, blocks and steals. Has been named CCAA Player of the Week twice this season.

Season Highs: Points – 26 at Western Washington (11-27-04); Rebounds – 14 vs. Saint Martin’s (11-26-04); Assists – 5 vs. Dominican University (12-29-04).

Career Highs: Points – 31 vs. Cal State San Bernardino (3-17-03); Rebounds – 14 vs. Saint Martin’s (11-26-04); Assists – 6 vs. Montana State-Billings (12-30-02).

 

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

Last Week: Had 20 points, six rebounds, and had four assists against Cal State San Bernardino on Friday; had 18 points, five rebounds, five assists, and two steals against UC San Diego on Saturday.

2004-05: Averaging 16.8 points, 6.1 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game. Leads the California Collegiate Athletic Association in conference-games only scoring (18.1 points per game). Is second on the team in overall scoring and rebounding. Is also  first on the team in assists and second in steals.

Season Highs: Points – 27 at Cal State Bakersfield (1-08-05); Rebounds – 12 at Cal State Stanislaus (1-15-05), vs. Dominican University (12-29-04); Assists – 6 vs. Dominican University (12-29-04), vs. Saint Martin’s (11-26-04), vs. Vanguard (11-23-04).

Career Highs: Points – 27 at Cal State Bakersfield (1-08-05), at Cal State Stanislaus (1-31-04); Rebounds – 12 vs. Dominican University (12-29-04); Assists – 9 vs. Humboldt State (3-12-04).

 

34        KAELEN DANIELS (C, Fr., Compton, Artesia HS)

Last Week: Had six points, three rebounds, and one assist against UC San Diego on Saturday; had four points, four rebounds, and one assist against Cal State San Bernardino on Friday

2004-05:  Averaging 4.7 points, 3.5 rebounds and 0.6 assists per game.

Season Highs: Points – 8 vs. Vanguard (11-23-04); Rebounds – 7 vs. Sonoma State (12-3-04); Assists – 3 vs. Sonoma State (12-3-04).

Career Highs: First year with Broncos.

 

44        KEVIN NEVEU (F, Fr., San Leandro, St. Joseph Notre Dame HS)

Last Week: Had six points, one blocked shot and one steal against UC San Diego on Saturday; had two points with one rebound against Cal State San Bernardino on Friday.

2004-05:  Averaging 3.5 points, 1.4 rebounds and 0.2 assists per game.

Season Highs: Points – 9 at Cal State L.A. (1-07-05); Rebounds – 4 at Cal State Stanislaus (1-15-05); Assists – 2 vs. Dominican University (12-29-04).

Career Highs: First year with Broncos.