CALIFORNIA STATE POLYTECHNIC UNIVERSITY, POMONA

Bronco Sports News

For Immediate Release

Tuesday, March 8, 2005

Contact: Paul Helms

(909) 869-2812

 

 

MEN’S BASKETBALL

MEDIA NOTES

 

2004-05 CPP Record: 21-6. CCAA Record: 16-4

2004-05 CCAA Co-Champions

2004-05 Regional Seeding: 3

 

Broncos Head To Washington With Regional Title Hopes: Cal Poly Pomona’s men’s basketball team, which earned a share of its first California Collegiate Athletic Association title since 1981, will being its quest for a second NCAA Division II West Region championship in three years this weekend in Bellingham, WA. The Broncos are the No. 3 seed and will take on No. 6 seed Seattle Pacific in a first-round game Friday at 12:30 p.m. at Western Washington. The game will be webcast on the Cal Poly Pomona athletic website at www.csupomona.edu/~athletic. Cal Poly Pomona is making its third consecutive NCAA playoff appearance for the first time in the program’s history. The Broncos won the 2003 NCAA Division II West Region championship and lost to 2004 NCAA Division II West Region champions Humboldt State in the first round last year. The Broncos finished the regular season with a 21-6 record for the second straight year. Cal Poly Pomona tied for the CCAA championship with Cal State San Bernardino and earned the conference’s automatic berth to the NCAA playoffs. The Broncos were conference champions for the first time since 1981 when Cal Poly Pomona shared the title with Cal State Dominguez Hills and Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. The Broncos enter the playoffs with nine wins in their last 10 games. They have also won 20 of their last 23 games after starting the season with a 1-3 record. Cal Poly Pomona has clinched its 11th consecutive winning season and third straight 20-win campaign. The Broncos are coming off another successful season. Cal Poly Pomona went 21-7 last season and finished second in the CCAA with a 17-5 record that 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 concluded their regular season with a pair of California Collegiate Athletic Association victories. Cal Poly Pomona opened the week with a 73-50 win over Cal State Dominguez Hills on Wednesday. The Broncos jumped out to a 40-24 halftime lead and built leads as large as 27 points in the second half. David Sybesma (Sr., Corona, Corona Centennial HS) and Jonathan Boyd (Jr., Fontana, Etiwanda HS) had 16 points each to lead the Broncos. Jeff Bonds (Sr., Compton, Mayfair HS) had 10 points and six rebounds. Cal Poly Pomona then honored its three seniors – Bonds, Sybesma and Matt Nelsen (Sr., Santa Clarita, New Mexico Highlands) – before Friday’s win against Cal State Monterey Bay. The Broncos raced to a 23-10 lead in the first nine minutes of the game, but the Otters battled back and sliced the lead to seven points at halftime. Cal State Monterey Bay closed to within four points, 45-41, with 15:43 left, but couldn’t get any closer. Cal Poly Pomona shot 57 percent for the game. Bonds had 19 points and six rebounds to lead the Broncos, while Sybesma had 16 points and three rebounds.

 

Broncos Are Glad To Be Back: Cal Poly Pomona will be making its third straight appearance in the NCAA Division II playoffs for the first time in the program’s history. Prior to 2003, the Broncos hadn’t been to the NCAA playoffs since 1976. After the lengthy break, the Broncos qualified for the 2003 playoffs as the No. 4 seed in the West Region and proceeded to knock off No. 5 Alaska Fairbanks, No. 8 Cal State Bakersfield and No. 2 Cal State San Bernardino to win the regional title in Laie, HI and advance to the Elite Eight. It marked the Broncos’ first trip to the national quarterfinals since 1964. In 2004, the Broncos drew the No. 6 seed and lost to eventual regional champion No. 3 Humboldt State in a first-round shootout, 86-83, in San Bernardino. This is the Broncos’ sixth NCAA playoff appearance. Cal Poly Pomona is 7-5 overall in five previous trips to the playoffs.

 

Head to Head: Cal Poly Pomona is 3-2 against the West Region tournament field. The Broncos have faced three of the other seven playoff participants this season. Cal Poly Pomona was 0-1 against No. 1 seed and tourney host Western Washington, 99-82, on Nov. 27. Cal Poly Pomona was 1-1 against No. 4 seed Cal State San Bernardino. The Broncos won in Kellogg Gym, 60-57, on Jan. 21 and lost to the Coyotes in San Bernardino, 73-66, on Feb. 26. Cal Poly Pomona was 2-0 against No. 7 seed Chico State. The Broncos defeated the Wildcats in Chico, 73-52, on Jan. 14 and held on to post a 68-64 victory in Kellogg Gym on Feb. 19. Cal Poly Pomona is 2-3 all-time against Seattle Pacific. The teams haven’t met since the 1993-94 season when the Broncos fell, 68-67. Cal Poly Pomona posted a 93-88 victory in 1991-92 and also won in 1987-88, 72-71. The Broncos lost twice to Seattle Pacific in the 1970-71 season, 67-61 and 92-80.

 

Pomona Is Title Town: Cal Poly Pomona basketball teams have won regional championships in three of the past four seasons. The Bronco men captured the 2003 NCAA Division II West Region title and advanced to the national quarterfinals for the first time since 1964. The Bronco women won regional titles in 2001 and 2002 on their way to NCAA Division II championships. No other basketball program in the West Region can match that success. Both teams are entered in the NCAA playoffs for the second straight season. Cal Poly Pomona, Western Washington, Seattle Pacific and Chico State are the only region teams to have both teams qualify for the playoffs.

 

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 (+11.6), field-goal shooting percentage (48.7 percent) and assist-turnover ratio (1.17). The team is fourth in scoring (72.7 per game) and first in defense (61.1 per game). The Broncos are seventh in the nation in defense. Jeff Bonds (Sr., Compton, Mayfair HS) leads the conference in scoring (17.3 points per game), while David Sybesma (Sr., Corona, Corona Centennial HS) is fourth (16.3 points per game). Sybesma is second in the conference in scoring for conference games only (16.6 per game) and is third in field-goal percentage (56.2 percent). Bonds is second in the conference in blocked shots (1.37 per game) and fifth in steals (1.78 per game). Hervey Malone II (Jr., Pittsburg, Pittsburg HS) is third in the conference in 3-point field goal percentage (.426). Billy Hofman (So., Sierra Madre, La Canada HS) is sixth in assist/turnover ratio (1.81).

 

The Defense Never Rests: Cal Poly Pomona’s defense has taken the NCAA Division II by storm. The Broncos have allowed only 61.1 points per game and have the No. 4 defense in the country. Since unleashing the “White Cell” defense against Grand Canyon on Dec. 18, the Broncos have allowed only 58.9 points per game and limited opponents to 61 points or less in 13 of the last 21 games. The Bronco coaching staff – Head Coach Greg Kamansky and assistant coaches Steve Wachs, Damion Hill and Bill Bannon – are noted science buffs and came up with the name during serious deliberations. White cells, the coaches point out, are the body’s way of fighting off infections and diseases. In basketball terms, the “White Cell” has been a hybrid of zone and man-to-man defenses. In any event, the defense has been good enough to top the California Collegiate Athletic Association and jump to fourth in the country.

 

The Kamansky File: Cal Poly Pomona Head Coach Greg Kamansky is in his fifth season as the leader of the Broncos. Kamansky has guided the Broncos to a 100-39 overall record. He picked up the 100th win of his Cal Poly Pomona Head Coaching career on Friday night when the Broncos beat Cal State Monterey Bay, 79-66. His winning percentage of .719 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 1,716 points in his Cal Poly Pomona career. He leads the California Collegiate Athletic Association in scoring with 17.3 points per game. He also leads the Broncos in rebounding, steals and blocks. He has been named CCAA Player of the Week three times 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 and fourth overall in the conference in scoring with a 16.3 points per game average. Sybesma was named the CCAA Player of the Week for the week of Jan. 17-23 for his performances against Cal State San Bernardino and UC San Diego. He hit a tiebreaking 3-pointer with 38 seconds left to lead the Broncos past the Coyotes and he had a game-high 18 points the following night against the Tritons. He has climbed to second on the all-time scoring list with 1,325 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.

 

PLAYER NOTES:

 

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

Last Week: Had nine points, three steals, three assists and one rebound against Cal State Monterey Bay on Friday; had seven points, five rebounds, five assists and two steals against Cal State Dominguez Hills on Wednesday.

2004-05: Averaging 4.3 points, 2.1 rebounds and 3.2 assists per game. Currently is second on the team in assists and first in 3-point field-goal shooting percentage (.429).

Season Highs: Points – 12 at Grand Canyon (12-18-04); Rebounds – 6 vs. BYU-Hawaii (1-3-05); Assists – 6 vs. Cal State Stanislaus (2-18-05), 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 vs. Cal State Stanislaus (2-18-05), at Cal State Stanislaus (1-15-05), vs. Seattle University (12-14-04).

 

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

Last Week: Had a season-high 16 points, two assists and one steal against Cal State Dominguez Hills on Wednesday; had 10 points, one rebound, two assists and two steals against Cal State Monterey Bay on Friday.

2004-05: Averaging 7.9 points, 2.3 rebounds and 1.6 assists per game. Is fifth on the team in scoring and is second on the team in 3-point field goals made (42).

Season Highs: Points – 16 vs. Cal State Dominguez Hills (3-2-05); Rebounds – 5 at Cal State San Bernardino (2-26-05), at UC San Diego (2-25-05), vs. Sonoma State (12-3-04); Assists – 4 vs. Cal State Stanislaus (2-18-05).

Career Highs: Points – 17 vs. Humboldt State (3-12-04); Rebounds – 5 at Cal State San Bernardino (2-26-05), at UC San Diego (2-25-05), 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 vs. Cal State Stanislaus (2-18-05), at UC San Diego (1-9-04).

 

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

Last Week: Had six points, six rebounds and three assists against Cal State Dominguez Hills on Wednesday; had six points, two rebounds and two assists against Cal State Monterey Bay on Friday.

2004-05: Averaging 8.8 points, 3.5 rebounds and 1.5 assists per game. Is third on the team in scoring, first in 3-point field goals made (43) and second in 3-point field goal percentage (.426). Is third in the conference in 3-point shooing percentage.

Season Highs: Points – 22 vs. BYU-Hawaii (1-3-05); Rebounds – 9 vs. Chico State (2-19-05); Assists – 3 vs. Cal State Dominguez Hills (3-2-05), at UC San Diego (2-25-05), vs. Cal State Stanislaus (2-18-05), at San Francisco State (2-04-05), at Western Washington (11-27-04).

Career Highs: Points – 22 vs. BYU-Hawaii (1-3-05); Rebounds – 9 vs. Chico State (2-19-05); 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 nine points, two rebounds, one assist and one steal against Cal State Dominguez Hills on Wednesday; had eight points, two rebounds and one assist against Cal State Monterey Bay on Friday.

2004-05: Averaging 8.6 points, 3.0 rebounds and 1.9 assists per game. Is fourth on the team in scoring and third in 3-pointers made (31).

Season Highs: Points – 17 vs. Cal State Stanislaus (2-18-05); Rebounds – 7 at San Francisco State (2-04-05), at Cal State Dominguez Hills (1-26-05); Assists – 4 vs. Cal State Bakersfield (2-11-05), at Cal State Bakersfield (1-08-05), vs. San Francisco State (12-4-04), at Western Washington (11-27-04).

Career Highs: Points – 17 vs. Cal State Stanislaus (2-18-05); Rebounds – 7 at San Francisco State (2-04-05), at Cal State Dominguez Hills (1-26-05); Assists – 4 vs. Cal State Bakersfield (2-11-05), 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: Had two rebounds, one assist and one steal on Senior Night against Cal State Monterey Bay on Friday; had two rebounds and one assist against Cal State Dominguez Hills on Wednesday.

2004-05: Averaging 1.8 points, 1.3 rebounds and 0.5 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 19 points, six rebounds, two assists, one steal and two blocked shots against Cal State Monterey Bay on Friday; had 10 points, six rebounds, one assist and one blocked shot against Cal State Dominguez Hills on Wednesday.

2004-05: Averaging 17.3 points, 6.3 rebounds and 2.6 assists per game. Leads the California Collegiate Athletic Association in scoring. Leads the team in scoring, rebounding, blocks and steals. Has been named CCAA Player of the Week three times this season.

Season Highs: Points – 26 vs. Cal State Stanislaus (2-18-05), at Western Washington (11-27-04); Rebounds – 14 vs. Saint Martin’s (11-26-04); Assists – 10 at Cal State Dominguez Hills (1-26-05).

Career Highs: Points – 31 vs. Cal State San Bernardino (3-17-03); Rebounds – 14 vs. Saint Martin’s (11-26-04); Assists – 10 at Cal State Dominguez Hills (1-26-05).

 

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

Last Week: Had 16 points, six rebounds, six assists, two blocked shots and two steals against Cal State Dominguez Hills on Wednesday; had 16 points, three rebounds, two assists and two steals against Cal State Monterey Bay on Friday.

2004-05: Averaging 16.3 points, 5.6 rebounds and 3.9 assists per game. Is third in the CCAA in field-goal percentage (56.2 percent) and is fourth in the conference in scoring. Is second on the team in overall scoring and rebounding. Leads the team in assists and is also 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 – 8 vs. Chico State (2-19-05).

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 nine points, three rebounds and one steal against Cal State Monterey Bay on Friday; had nine points, two rebounds and one steal against Cal State Dominguez Hills on Wednesday.

2004-05: Averaging 4.8 points, 3.4 rebounds and 0.5 assists per game.

Season Highs: Points – 10 at San Francisco State (2-04-05); Rebounds – 7 at Sonoma State (2-05-05), 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 two points, one rebound and one assist against Cal State Monterey Bay on Friday; went scoreless, with two rebounds and one assist against Cal State Dominguez Hills on Wednesday.

2004-05:  Averaging 3.9 points, 2.2 rebounds and 0.7 assists per game.

Season Highs: Points – 10 at UC San Diego (2-25-05); Rebounds – 7 vs. Chico State (2-19-05); Assists – 3 vs. Cal State L.A. (2-12-05).

Career Highs: First year with Broncos.