After losing to UC Riverside 70-66 in overtime during the first round of last year’s Big West Tournament, the Cal Poly men’s basketball team, as well as its coaches and fans, are hoping for a turnaround this coming season.
Head coach Joe Callero plans to capitalize on fresh faces, international travel, tried-and-true coaching tactics and even barbecues to further the team’s success.
The goal, like always, is to perform well in the Big West and ride that momentum deep into the postseason.
Among other strategies, Callero intends to utilize team cohesion to help the team attain this goal.
“We are a senior-led team, and I think we have a lot of experience and a lot of good talent,” said David Hanson, a senior forward and team captain. “So, from that aspect, I think we definitely have the pieces to go far … Our goal is to make it to the NCAA Tournament, which is something that is very plausible for us to do.”
The team finished third nationally in defensive 3-point field goal percentage for the Division I programs last season. The Mustangs clinched the second seed in the 2011 Big West Tournament before their early exit.
Though last year’s elimination was disappointing to fans, some believe the team could make a run at winning the conference this year.
“I, with great confidence, can say that the Cal Poly men’s basketball team will win the Big West conference in 2011-2012,” said Jeremy Jauregui, a journalism senior and student manager for the team.
Players attribute much of the team’s prior success to Callero and his efforts at fostering team unity.
“The coaching staff has definitely made a difference,” Hanson said. “It helps to have a good relationship off the court. I think it builds a chemistry even deeper than on the court. It definitely assists in sort of knowing each other and getting a read on each other.”
Callero supports the development of team chemistry by giving the players ample opportunities to be around each other, both in a basketball setting and in social settings.
“I think outside of basketball, we’re all very good friends, and we all hang out,” Hanson said. “Sometimes on Fridays we’ll go hike the ‘P’ as a team … We’ll just do different things like have barbecues together. Last year we ran patterns and played football for a little bit. It helps us grow closer as a group.”
Players engage in a variety of activities, Callero said. These activities include camping, playing football, movie nights, studying together, attending church groups, watching professional basketball games, going to Farmers’ Market, having dinner at Firestone Grill and even living with one another.
“They help each other off the court,” Callero said. “One of our players helped one of the other guys open up their banking account. It’s always nice to have an older brother, you know?”
The team’s brotherly dynamic is something that Reese Morgan, an incoming freshman who ESPN stated could be the “most prolific shooter in the West,” said he appreciates.
“A lot of times when you go into the college situations, there are some guys that, you know, look down on the freshmen, that feel like they’re maybe going to come take their spot, or they’re competing for playing time,” said Morgan, who averaged a team-high 27.3 points per game at Palos Verdes Peninsula High. “But these guys have been great. They’ve brought me under their wing. They show me to classes and teach me the ropes about basketball.”
Morgan and his teammates will put their cohesion to the test in Costa Rica during an international tour this August.
“Once in every four years this kind of thing is allowed by the NCAA, so we fundraised for two years (and) saved our dimes up for two years so we could pay for this,” Callero said. “This is quite rare. It’s going to be a wonderful networking opportunity.”
In anticipation of the tour and the upcoming season, the players have exercised as a team throughout the summer. The practices are student-run, to comply with league rules, which state that summer workouts must be voluntary and, thus, not supervised by coaching staff.
Hanson attributes the team’s voluntary dedication and strong work ethic to Callero.
“He practices what he preaches as far as work ethic goes,” Hanson said. “He never stops. He’s always working his tail off doing everything he can. He’s still on me even though I’m a senior. He’s really helped develop me into a player.”