CALIFORNIA STATE POLYTECHNIC UNIVERSITY, POMONA
Bronco Sports News
For Immediate Release
Tuesday, Jan. 11, 2005
Contact: Paul Helms
(909) 869-2812
MEN’S BASKETBALL
MEDIA NOTES
2004-05 CPP Record: 7-4. CCAA Record: 2-2
Broncos Look To Bounce Back From Tough Loss: Cal Poly
Pomona’s men’s basketball team, which has won six of its last seven games, will
try to rebound from a disappointing loss to Cal State Bakersfield on Saturday
when the Broncos continue California Collegiate Athletic Association play this
week. Cal Poly Pomona will play two more road games, facing early-season CCAA
co-leader Chico State
on Friday night in Chico and then
meeting Cal State Stanislaus on Saturday night in Turlock.
The Broncos will then play at home on Jan. 21 against Cal State San Bernardino
and on Jan. 22 against UC San Diego before hitting the road again for their
next four games. The Friday, Jan. 21 game against Cal State San Bernardino will
be Pack the Gym Night and all Cal Poly Pomona students, faculty and staff will be
admitted free. In addition, anyone bringing three canned food items to help the
Bronco Athletic Association collect food for a local charity will also earn
free admission. 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 split a pair of California Collegiate Athletic Association games
and remain one game out of the conference lead. Cal Poly Pomona opened the
weekend with a 76-51 victory over Cal State L.A. Friday night in Los
Angeles. Jeff Bonds (Sr., Compton, Mayfair
HS) had 18 points and seven rebounds, while David Sybesma
(Sr., Corona, Corona Centennial HS)
had 16 points and eight rebounds. Hervey Malone II
(Jr., Pittsburg, Pittsburg HS) and
Kevin Neveu (Fr., San Leandro, St. Joseph Notre Dame HS)
had nine points each. The Broncos shot 54 percent and held a 36-22 rebounding
edge. Cal Poly Pomona led by as many as 17 points in the first half and settled
for a 40-28 halftime lead. The Broncos never led by less than 14 points after
scoring the opening basket of the second half. Cal Poly Pomona then saw a
spirited rally come up just short in a 73-71 loss at Cal State Bakersfield on
Saturday night. Sybesma tied a career high with 27
points, 22 of them coming in the second half. He also had seven rebounds. Bonds
contributed 19 points and a team-high nine rebounds. Dion
Cook (So., Canoga Park,
Chaminade HS) had nine
points and four assists. Cal Poly Pomona trailed at halftime, 36-31 and was
down by 11 points, 70-59, with 2:47
to go. Six straight points by Sybesma – one on a
3-pointer and the other on a three-point play – and a 3-pointer by Jonathan
Boyd (Jr., Fontana, Etiwanda HS) sparked a quick 9-0 run that made it 70-68 with
1:06 left. After a Cal State
Bakersfield basket with 35 seconds to go, Sybesma
scored again to make it 72-70 with 17 seconds to go. The Roadrunners then
turned the ball over and Bonds got fouled with five seconds left. Bonds made
one of two free throws and then forced yet another Roadrunner turnover with
four seconds remaining to give Cal Poly Pomona a shot at the win. The Broncos,
though, couldn’t handle the inbounds pass and Cal State Bakersfield held on to
win.
Head to Head: Cal
Poly Pomona is 10-10 all-time
against Chico State
and the two CCAA contenders split a pair of games last season. The Broncos
prevailed in Kellogg Gym on Jan. 2,
89-75, behind 19 points from Jeff Bonds (Sr., Compton, Mayfair HS). The Wildcats then won the rematch in Chico,
92-89, on Feb. 28. David Sybesma (Sr., Corona,
Corona Centennial HS) had 23 points and nine rebounds
in that one. Cal Poly Pomona is 10-3 all-time against Cal State Stanislaus and
won both meetings last season. The Broncos won in Turlock
on Jan. 31, 70-56, behind a
career-high 27 points and 10 rebounds from Sybesma.
The following week, the Broncos won, 75-66, in an exciting Pack the Gym Night
game in Kellogg Gym. Sybesma hit a game-tying
3-pointer with two seconds remaining to send the game into overtime and the
Broncos scored the first 10 points of the extra period and went on for the win.
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 86-37 overall record. His winning percentage of
.699 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 1,450 points in his Cal
Poly Pomona career. He currently leads the team in scoring, rebounding and
steals. He averages 18.4 points and 6.4 rebounds per game. 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 16.6
points per game average and is coming off a career-high-tying 27 points against
Cal State Bakersfield on Saturday. He has climbed to seventh on the all-time
scoring list with 1,069 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, two rebounds and one blocked shot against
Cal State Bakersfield on Saturday; went scoreless with three rebounds and five
assists against Cal State L.A. on Friday.
2004-05: Averaging 5.2 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 (.556).
Season Highs: Points –
12 at Grand Canyon (12-18-04); Rebounds
– 6 vs. BYU-Hawaii (1-3-05);
Assists – 6 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. Seattle
University (12-14-04).
11 JONATHAN
BOYD (G, Jr., Fontana, Etiwanda HS)
Last Week: Had eight points, two rebounds and two assists against Cal
State L.A. on Friday; had three points with two rebounds and two assists
against Cal State Bakersfield on Saturday.
2004-05: Averaging 6.9 points, 2.6 rebounds and 1.8 assists per
game. Is fifth on the team in scoring and is tied for second on the team in 3-point
field goals made (17).
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 nine points, one rebound and one assist against Cal
State L.A. on Friday; had six points, two rebounds, one assist and one steal against
Cal State Bakersfield on Saturday.
2004-05: Averaging 8.6 points, 3.5 rebounds and 1.2 assists per
game. Is fourth on the team in scoring, first in 3-point
field goals made (17) and second in 3-point field goal percentage (.515).
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 nine points, one rebound and four assists against Cal
State Bakersfield on Saturday; had eight points, five rebounds and one assist
against Cal State L.A. on Friday.
2004-05: Averaging 8.9 points, 2.7 rebounds and 2.3 assists per
game. Is third on the team in scoring and fourth in 3-pointers
made (14).
Season Highs: Points –
15 vs. BYU-Hawaii (1-3-05); 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 – 15
vs. BYU-Hawaii (1-3-05); 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: Had a season-high seven points and four rebounds against
Cal State L.A. on Friday; went scoreless against Cal State Bakersfield on Saturday.
2004-05: Averaging 2.7 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 19 points, nine rebounds and three assists against Cal
State Bakersfield on Saturday; had 18 points, seven rebounds and three assists
against Cal State L.A. on Friday.
2004-05: Averaging 18.4 points, 6.4 rebounds and 2.5 assists per
game. Leads the team in scoring, rebounding 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: Tied a career high with 27 points, seven rebounds and three
assists against Cal State Bakersfield on Saturday; had 16 points, eight
rebounds and three assists against Cal State L.A. on Friday.
2004-05: Averaging 16.6 points, 5.9 rebounds and 3.5 assists per
game. Is second on the team in 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 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 four points and four rebounds against Cal State L.A.
on Friday; had one point and one rebound against Cal State Bakersfield on
Saturday. Returned to action after missing five games with a
leg injury.
2004-05: Averaging 4.3
points, 3.3 rebounds and 0.3 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 a season-high nine points against Cal State L.A. on Friday;
went scoreless against Cal State Bakersfield on Saturday.
2004-05: Averaging 3.0 points,
1.2 rebounds and 0.3 assists per game.
Season Highs: Points – 9
at Cal State L.A.
(1-07-05); Rebounds – 3 vs. Dominican
University (12-29-04); Assists
– 2 vs. Dominican University
(12-29-04).
Career Highs: First year with Broncos.