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The Mesa Press

The Mesa Press

The independent student news site of San Diego Mesa College.

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The Mesa Press

The Mesa Press

Men’s basketball looking to rebound

Men’s basketball is finishing up their 2008-09 season without a playoff spot for the second consecutive year. But the young group has a ‘never say die’ attitude and believes that they are just a big man or two away from success.

The Olympians have struggled to pull in rebounds this season and much of it is due to their lack of size in the paint.

Head coach Ed Helscher has tried different schemes to hide their weaknesses and stay competitive but their inability to rebound has continued to plague them as they have gone 3-12 in Pacific Coast Conference games.

“The thing that has hurt us all year, and it’s the same thing that hurt us last year, is the fact that we are undersized,” said Helscher. “We are getting killed on the boards almost every single game.”

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Helscher expected a few sizable recruits this season but they decided on a less academic path and did not join the team.

The team has had to swallow some tough losses this season in games that have come down to the wire. On Feb. 11, Mesa had the ball with 28 seconds left before turning it over and sending Imperial Valley to the charity stripe and losing the game by one point.

The Olympians fell to Cuyamaca College by two points on Jan. 17 despite having the last two shots in the game.

Even with a disappointing record, the players have continued to work hard and stay positive.

“No one has quit the team through all the struggles and losses,” said freshman guard Jason Starr. “Everyone gets along and it’s fun being around my teammates.”

Helscher complimented his players for being the only team in the conference to start and end with the same 15 players on their roster.

“I’m happy the guys stuck it out and showed great character and perseverance,” explained Helscher. “I hope they use that in their future to be better people in the long run.”

The Olympians displayed their character earlier this season when they found a lost wallet in the locker room. The wallet belonged to a football player and was returned to him with all the contents still intact. A similar situation occurred with a cell phone that was found. The team traced it back to a member on the water polo team and got it back to him.

“They’re not angels, believe me, they’re not,” joked Helscher. “But they have good parts to them and they are working hard.”

The Olympians may lack size but they are building on a group of talented young players with a tremendous upside.

Sophomore guard Johnny Del Bene has been a force on offense this season and leads the team in scoring. Del Bene averages 15 points per game, which is good for sixth in the PCC.

Sophomore point guard Pat Magno has been the glue to hold the team together on the court. Magno has done a fantastic job orchestrating the offense and leads the team in assists.

Freshmen Darren Hugie and Jason Starr are two players that Helscher is hoping to retain next season.

Hugie has proved to be valuable with his ability to rebound the ball and put points on the board. He recorded a double-double in a win against Cuyamaca College on Feb. 14. Hugie finished with 19 points and 14 rebounds.

Starr is a versatile athlete that has an uncanny ability to shoot the ball and has been contributing rebounds from the guard position. He came away with 27 points and four rebounds on Feb. 18 against City College, who is leading the PCC this season.

“Jason is one of those kids you want next year because I see him exploding,” concluded Helscher.

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