With nine newcomers and only one player returning from last year’s consistent rotation, the Mustangs are looking to find who they are through the first couple of games of the 2023-2024 season.
One thing has become clear six games into the season: If the team is to have any success this year, it starts with the one main returner, senior wing Kobe Sanders.
Sanders sunk a game-tying three with a few seconds left in regulation before leading the Mustangs into an 81-77 overtime win over San Jose State.
Sanders has played a variety of roles throughout his four seasons as a Mustang. From being an off-the-bench scorer his sophomore year to an oversized point guard and defender his junior year, Sanders has now found a role of being a primary creator in his final year of eligibility.
While the team has turned to the 6’8 wing to create offense this season, Sanders does so by attacking off the ball whether it be receiving kickouts or flying off staggered screens to create an advantage for the offense.
Head Coach John Smith said that the team wanted to bring in a veteran guard to move Sanders away from the point spot where he wouldn’t be “overused” like he was last season. After a long stint taking on much responsibility on both sides of the floor, Sanders suffered an injury that kept him out in the final games of the season.
The program brought in graduate transfer point guard from Cal Berkeley, Jarred Hyder, in order to allow Sanders to move off the ball. In the Mustangs’ final offensive possession, the vision of a Hyder and Sanders combination came to fruition.
Hyder brought the ball up on the right side of the floor. Sanders rose from the corner before setting a screen on Hyder’s man. However, Sanders sprinted out of the screen leaving his defender in the dust before Hyder dished the ball to Sanders for a three-point shot from the top of the arc to tie the game.
That final play exemplified Hyder setting up Sanders with easy looks at the basket.
Sanders’ three-pointer was three of his 22 points scored in the second half and overtime period of play. The San Diego native bounced back in the second half after going scoreless in six minutes in the first half due to foul trouble.
“Kobe has been a point guard his whole life, so it’s a mentality that you have to shift because he always sees the right play and he wants to make the pass,” Smith said. “I keep telling him ‘No, get to your spot, get to your shot, be aggressive and everybody else will fall in line.’
“It’ll open it up for everyone else, and that’s what he did.”
A metaphor for offense in basketball is a series of dominoes. One needs to fall to set off a chain reaction. Sanders is the catalyst that creates a reaction. Time and time again down the stretch of the fourth quarter, the Mustangs had Sanders run off multiple screens into a dribble handoff where he attacked downhill at the San Jose State center or made a skip pass to an open shooter.
Through seven games, Sanders is averaging a career-high 17 points, which is double the number of points he averaged last season.
“We knew their ball screen coverage and their dribble handoff coverage,” Sanders said. “So we knew there was a flat show and that the weakside tag would be open, and I had a free run at the big.”
Jones’ continues strong start to freshman season
Quentin Jones was one of two true freshmen to commit to Cal Poly fall of last season. When Smith was asked last season if he projected either Jones or Justin Page to be rotation players right away, Smith said both players had the capabilities to do so.
Page has played a backup guard position, but Jones has started six of seven games led the Mustangs in minutes played with 41 against San Jose State and has had three double-digit scoring performances, including 15 against the Spartans.
“I’m learning every game. I’m learning every day in practice,” Jones said.
The true freshman mentioned that he’s developed more confidence in his three-point shot. Jones is adept and getting into the midrange and rising up over his defender for a jumper, but if defenses are forced to close out on him, it’ll make his inside-the-arc scoring game easier.
“Quentin is an old soul,” Smith said. “He understands the game of basketball, and he can really score the ball. But his versatility defensively is great. I’m looking forward to seeing this kid evolve as a player that he’s going to be here for for four years. It’s going to be a joy to see.”
Paul Bizimana steps up against Spartans
Another major contributor against the Spartans was junior Paul Bizimana. The Mustangs started sophomore forward Aaron Price Jr., but turned to Bizimana in crucial minutes of the game.
Smith pointed to Bizimana’s ability to score from the power forward position as a huge bonus. The Eastern Illinois transfer poured in 11 points and snagged eight rebounds in his best game as a Mustang.
“He struggled defensively at times, but he bounced back and got some huge stops down the stretch,” Smith said.
Up next, the Mustangs will travel to Idaho to take on the Vandals on Saturday, Dec. 2 at 2 p.m.
