What is the main focus of head coach Joe Callero and the Cal Poly men’s basketball team this offseason?
Improvement.
Whether it be on the basketball court, in the classroom or as a community member, Callero said he wants his players to continue to improve in every aspect of their lives.
And they are doing just that.
On the court, the team went 12-19 this past season, compared to 7-21 the season before.
In the classroom, the entire team now has an average GPA of 2.8, with no one receiving less than a C in any class. Will Donahue, one of the team’s leading scorers early last season, was deemed academically ineligible midway through the year; he now has full eligibility.
This might be only fitting for a team constantly reminded by the words “no limits to improvement” displayed on the grease board in the locker room.
The improvement also extends to team cohesiveness. The team has arranged barbeques, hiked Bishop Peak and camped, as a way to bond.
It’s a great way to uncover other team members’ strengths, creating a mutual respect between the players, Callero said.
“It’s putting people in different positions where different guys might be better at something than they are on the basketball court,” he said.
If you talk to any member of the team, they all call themselves a family. After seeing the team improve on the court last season, Callero’s techniques prove to be working.
Upperclassmen passed the ball freely to freshmen, sharp shooters passed to the big men; each player had confidence in his teammates.
For example, while playing against South Dakota last season, senior guard Lorenzo Keeler drove to the basket with 32 seconds to spare, and instead of forcing a shot, he made an extra pass to freshman Kyle Odister, who hit a three with a few seconds left on the shot clock — propelling the Mustangs to a win.
However, with Keeler leaving — a player who averaged just over 16 points per game — comes the expectation that the other players will have to step up their game.
Notable players expected to be the new foundation of the squad are guard Shawn Lewis and forward David Hanson — both of whom tallied double digit points per game a season ago. Redshirts Amaurys Fermin and Chris O’Brien may also be asked to step in for lost starters. Also, forward Jordan Lewis, who scored a season-high 16 points against Long Beach State, served as somewhat of a sixth man last season, and may be able to climb his way into the starting lineup this season.
“Whether I’m getting more minutes or not I’m just happy to contribute,” Lewis said.
Lewis said he has been hitting the weight room and working on quickness and agility. He’s also been working on both his jump shot and three-point shot to complement his already tough defense.
However, Lewis still knows the importance of team chemistry. “In order for us to be more successful, we (still) have to keep growing as a family,” he said.
Or as Callero puts it, improve.