The Rams men's basketball team is heading into the season with a young team; but what they might lack in experience, they make up with speed and an arsenal of offense.

"This team has quickness and depth. We have a lot of weapons offensively and we can score baskets, no question," said Head Coach Justin Labagh.

Labagh is looking to returning guards Marcio Lassiter, Ron Manigault, Justin Holmes and returning forward Patrick Dreith to lead the team; each of those players has a solid game.

"Every year it's a young team. Getting a young team to play and use their experience in that moment is a challenge," Labagh said.

Although they are young, they all agree they have the talent and chemistry to be successful.

"We're playing really good together. Everyone can start and play on this team," Dreith said.

At practices, Labagh likes to focus on transition basketball and defense. He feels the team will beat opposing teams on toughness.

"We have a deeper bench. We're going to beat teams with shot selection, toughness and defense," Holmes said.

The players agree that their strong point is their speed. They plan to play fast-paced all four quarters and run a lot of fast breaks.

"We're always running and we play hard," Lassiter said.

The Rams have a tough schedule ahead of them and will be tested early in the season. They open with the Santa Rosa Tournament on Nov. 9. Then they will play in the Fresno City Tournament starting Nov. 16.

"Our first 10 games are against top teams in the state. We'll find out quick how good we are," Dreith said.

Last season the Rams went 30-4 and were one win away from going to the state championship, losing to West Valley College in the semifinals.

The loss was controversial. In the second half, player after player began to foul out. The Rams were at a disadvantage at the referees' repeated calling of fouls, as West Valley was carrying a deeper bench.

"Six players fouled out and it changed the tempo of the game," Labagh said.

"It was a tough game to lose. It all happened so fast," Manigault said.

Although it was a heart-wrenching loss, the Rams look forward to redeeming themselves with a return to the playoffs. The team and coaching staff both feel that they will make it to the state championship and win the title they deserved last season.

"Every year we put together a good team. This team can get us to the final eight and do some damage," Labagh said.

"We have the players to get us back there for a shot at it."

E-mail: jgutierrez@theguardsman.com

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DEAL AND CORDOVA POWER MEN'S SOCCER TEAM

BY JOSE GUTIERREZ

STAFF WRITER

Center midfielder Chris Deal has helped the Rams to a 13-4-3 overall record and No. 6 ranking statewide. ANNABELLE DAY / GUARDSMAN

The Rams men’s soccer team shutout Santa Rosa Junior College 3-0 on Sept. 26, and the victory functioned as another definite indicator of the Rams’ success this season.

“It was a huge win for us — it’s the first time in history we beat them,” Head Coach Adam Lucarelli said. “They’ve been the most successful team in the state for the past eight years.”

In the game against Santa Rosa, forward Chris Deal scored two goals and forward Stephen Cordova added another along with an assist.

The Rams’ players and coaches recognize the significance of this win.

“We’re the team to beat now, we’ve got to play smart,” said right fullback Manuel Hernandez.

“I’m very proud of the effort the team put forth during the Santa Rosa game. We played our best game defensively,” said assistant coach Gabriel Saucedo.

The Rams pushed their record to an impressive 7-2-2 with the defeat of Santa Rosa. The team has already matched the win total from last season, and has remained undefeated in the last seven games.

“I believe the last seven games we’ve flexed our talent,” Lucarelli said.

Rams’ Co-Captain William Water credits the high caliber of the players on this season’s team, a team in which not one of the eleven starters on the team started last year.

“This is a solid team with a lot of talent,” Water said.

The Rams are ranked 4th in Northern California and 5th in the state. The team also leads the state with 37 goals, which could be credited to star forwards Chris Deal and Stephen Cordova.

“Our two forwards are working well together,” Lucarelli said. “We’re so fortunate and lucky to have these two guys playing in the same year.”

Deal and Cordova have worked to attain the current chemistry they share — communication had been an issue in the beginning of the season.

“I was nervous at first, and we realized we weren’t talking on the field,” Cordova said. “Once the coaches brought it up we did something about it.”

The goals set for this season are one step closer to becoming a reality with the momentum the team gains after every game.

“Our overall goal is to compete for a conference championship and do well in the finals,” Lucarelli said.

“I want to make it to the final four … if we get there I think of it as a new season and go from there.”

Deal agreed that the team was ready for the next level.

“We have all the tools we need for a conference championship. The challenge is making sure those tools are working,” he said.

The Rams still have a long second half ahead of them.

“Now all the teams will be watching us,” midfielder Natnael Manna said. “We have to stay focused.”           

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AB 2165 REGULATES FORMER CRIMINALS

BY ANN-CHATRINE NILSSON

STAFF WRITER

Center midfielder Chris Deal has helped the Rams to a 13-4-3 overall record and No. 6 ranking statewide. ANNABELLE DAY / GUARDSMAN

A new law will prevent athletes convicted of a felony or on probation from not playing sports on a California State University or community college team.

AB 2165 will take effect in January 2007 and will only affect athletes with sentences that have not been completed.

 "I don't think it's going to affect students dramatically, because the way the law reads, you have to be convicted of a felony, not a misdemeanor," said City College’s Men’s Athletic Director George Rush. 

The bill only addresses student athletes and does not regulate non-athletic school activities.

 "While I support the bill, I don't support the fact that it's only targeting athletes," said Dr. Mark D. Robinson, dean of student affairs. "We already hold the athletes to a higher standard.”

Robinson was also concerned that while athletes need a 2.0 grade point average and 12 units to participate in the athletics program, students in the student council are only required to enroll in six units.

So far, City College has no policy on how to enforce AB 2165.

 "How is any school to know who has a felony anyway?" Rush asked.

 "If a student has any issues or is on probation, then it's usually the student who brings it up to the coach, not the other way around," said Rod Santos, Athletic Students Advisor.

 City College Chief of Police Carl S. Koehlersaid he was aware of the new law.

 "The only time that we will be involved at all is if we happen to have some kind of interaction with somebody that required us to run their criminal history," Koehler said.

 A new orientation process for athletes will be introduced next year. Questions will also be added to the eligibility forms asking students if they have committed felonies.

 "I don’t know if the bill will be useful here,” Robinson said.

“Only time will tell how the bill has affected our student athletes or coaches, and our winning and loss percentage.”

E-mail: acnilsson@theguardsman.com       

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REBUILDING THE WOMEN'S BASKETBALL TEAM

BY JENNIFER LOPEZ

EDITOR

Guard Marianne Bautista prepares to shoot during practice. MELISSA MA / GUARDSMAN

The Rams’ women’s basketball season will begin with the Coast Conference in

Pasadena, November 10, a tournament they have won consistently in past years.

“We have a talented group of female athletes with a diverse set of skills who are motivated and excited for the season to start,” Head Coach Jamie Wong said. 

The Rams are a proven, competitive team.

Last season, the Rams finished with a record of 23-7. They also made it to the quarter finals in the Commission on Athletics state championship, but lost to the eventual champions, the Mt. San Antonio College Mounties from Southern California.

“Of course, we want to get to where we were last year and go farther,” forward Shawn McGuire said.

McGuire is one of three sophomores returning to the team and also received Honorable Mention All Conference player last year. Returning Guard Andrea Ohlssen also received an honorable mention last year. Guard Marianne Bautista returns after sitting out last season due to an injury.

“We’re all excited for the season to start. We’re looking to repeat winning the Coast Conference,” McGuire said.

Ten freshmen join the team and are looking to do the team’s history justice.

“There are some freshman I expect to be positive leaders for the team as well, like Kimberly Hom and Senoj Jones,” Wong said.

Hom and Jones come from Washington and Lincoln High Schools respectively.

The coach and returning players agree that both freshmen are hard workers with great leadership potential.

“Everyone brings something different to the table,” McGuire said of all her new team members.

“I’m looking for the freshmen to really step it up,” Bautista said.

The young players are reserved, serious, and focused at practices. Along with McGuire and Bautista, they begin running drills before official practice even starts. All are dedicated to the cause.

“We’re excited and I feel like we’re going to do a great job. We’re building chemistry,” Freshman Nina Camp said.

“We’re ready for Pasadena.”

With the team being young and inexperienced against college competition, Wong is intent on preparing her team by going up against the best.

“Our preseason schedule is very competitive and we’re going up against teams that were ranked in the top 20 in the state last year. It will be a great experience for our athletes to get ready for Conference,” Wong said.

This year, Skyline and Las Positas Colleges have joined the Coast Conference, but it is Foothill College that has always been the Rams’ biggest competitor.

“We just take it one game at a time. Most important is who we play first in the Conference,” McGuire said.

“It’s going to be hard but we got this,” Bautista said.