By Arturo Garcia and Samantha Campion, Nov. 12, 2o24
Cal Poly Pomona women’s basketball enters its 50th season nationally ranked and placed second in the California Collegiate Athletics Association preseason poll, and the men’s team ranked seventh in the polls with the addition of seven student-athletes.
The women’s team received four first-place votes to place second in the 2024 CCAA Women’s Basketball Preseason Polls behind Cal State LA with five votes.
CPP finished third in the CCAA last season with a 20-10 overall record and a 15-7 conference record.
Despite a devastating 80-74 loss against Chico State in the CCAA tournament semifinals, the Broncos reached the program’s 29th National Collegiate Athletics Association tournament before falling in the first round against Western Washington 66-61.
The Broncos are returning with most of their complete starting lineup from last season, including All-America Honorable Mention guard Kalaya Buggs and CCAA Freshman of the Year forward Sydney Nelson.
Buggs and Nelson were announced to the nine-member CCAA Watchlist for their First or Second Team conference honors last season.
Nelson led the team in scoring last season with 440 total points and ranked ninth on the conference leaderboard for scoring. Buggs followed closely behind with 435 points on the season and led the team in assists with 121, placing her third in the conference for assists.
Guard Breanne Ha and forward Jeanette Fine also return with CCAA honorable mention honors for the Broncos.
Ha broke the single-season record for most three-pointers made in CPP program history at 72, and she ranks second on the CPP all-time three-pointer list with 170 in her career.
Fine returned from a mid-season injury to score 24 points in the CCAA tournament semifinals against Chico State and reach her 1,000th career point.
“The goal is to win the conference, and to win the conference tournament,” said head coach Danelle Bishop. “If we can stay healthy, then it’s an obtainable and realistic goal.”
Bishop said the team will lean on returning players for leadership as her upperclassmen are on a mission to elevate the program and act as an extension of the coaching staff while on the court.
The Broncos added four transfer students to the veteran team: guards Alexis Woodson and Cookie Marques from conference opponent Stanislaus State, and guards Brielle Minor from Cal State Fullerton and Aaliyah Wright from Victor Valley College.
“Cookie Marques has been particularly impressive, consistently demonstrating the potential for a remarkable season,” Bishop said. “I have great enthusiasm for all our newcomers, especially Cookie, as this is her final year in college basketball. She has emerged as an exceptional leader both on and off the court.”
Marques spent three previous seasons competing for the Warriors, where she totaled 785 points, 103 assists and 350 rebounds.
The Broncos earned a No. 19 ranking in the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association Preseason Polls, the first time the programs entered the national rankings since 2015.
Bishop said the team recognizes the significance of the honor, but the team remains focused on setting realistic goals and is committed to developing the culture of CPP women’s basketball.
“We use an acronym, ALL IN (accountability, leadership, love, integrity and nourish),” Bishop said. “If we aren’t applying these things daily, then it means nothing. It’s just all talk.”
The women’s team opened the 2024 season on the road against No. 18-ranked Azusa Pacific in the CCAA/Pac West Challenge.
The men’s team placed seventh in the CCAA Preseason Polls after finishing with a 10-16 overall record and 9-13 conference record, falling short of reaching postseason tournament play for the second consecutive year.
“I’d like to improve our culture, toughness and competitiveness,” said head coach Greg Kamansky. “I hope we can do a much better job of that this year.”
The men’s team is returning with 10 student-athletes from last year’s roster, including guard Jaden Winfield who ranked third on the team in total points and blocks, second in rebounds and fifth in steals.
Winfield shot 9-13 (.692) from the field and 3-4 (.750) from beyond the arc to register a career-high 21 points against Cal State Monterey Bay Feb. 22.
Forward Michael Ofoegbu returned as the team’s leader in blocks with 17, along with a total of 182 points and 89 rebounds last season.
“Our team is smaller than usual, but seems more focused and driven, which will be key to our success,” said Kamansky. “We look forward to maintaining our positive culture and playing good team basketball.”
Kamansky brought in four student-athletes from the transfer portal in addition to his freshman-recruiting class this season.
Guards Demarreya Lewis-Cooper from Yuba College and Zach Broadous from Chabot College transferred to CPP after earning National Association of Basketball Coaches CCCMBCAA All-American and All-State honors last season.
Lewis-Cooper collected 303 points and a team-leading 166 assists.
Broadous registered 163 total rebounds and 505 points on the season with a career-high 32 points against San Francisco Community College, the second time where he reached the 30-point mark last season.
2022-2023 CPP Male Freshman of the Year Shyheim Parm did not compete last season due to an injury but is expected to return this season after an impressive freshman campaign, where he led the Broncos in scoring with 284 points.
The Broncos look to return to the conference tournament this season behind the helm of Kamansky, the winningest coach in CPP men’s basketball history with a 452-206 career record (.687).
Kamansky enters his 24th season at CPP with 14 NCAA tournament appearances, 13 CCAA tournament appearances, six CCAA championships and one Division II national championship.
“Once we can get that culture going, then it’s going to be a fun year regardless,” Kamansky said.
The men’s team opened the 2024 season at Seattle Pacific in the CCAA/Pac West Challenge and the women’s team traveled on the road to face off against No.18-ranked Azusa Pacific Nov. 8.
Featured image courtesy of CPP Athletics
