Kevin Contreras, Sports Editor
Flynn Cameron, junior point guard
“I feel great being back. Our team goal is to finish what we started last year. We continue to grow together each day … I expect us to compete at the same level, if not greater than last year. We’re all capable and hungry basketball players who are excited to play with one another.”
“I’m looking forward to playing with a great group of guys and growing together each day. I’m looking forward to competing in our practices and games to come. I’m also looking forward to experiencing UCR for what it’s meant to be. Without COVID, this is a great opportunity to meet new people and have some more support at our games.”
“This quarter, I’m continuing my first degree in marketing while also continuing to create and be a part of the UCR men’s basketball culture.”
Head coach Mike Magpayo
How do you feel being back? What are your goals and expectations this year?
“With our success the past two years, we know there are heightened expectations for this year’s team, and we have to own that. As a coach, it feels great that we have a lot of experience coming back, with eight guys who have started games in the past and three players on the team who have received Big West All League honors in Dom Pickett, Zyon Pullin and Callum McRae, which gives us a good foundation to contend at the top after finishing 3rd last year in the Big West. With our recent transfers from Depaul, last year Flynn Cameron and this year in JP Moorman and Jhaylon Martinez , being an older team should pay dividends for us. We were a top 100 team last year most of the year, finishing 106th per KenPom rankings, and we hope to make a jump again this season.”
What are you looking forward to both on and off the court?
“This group of student-athletes is truly a great group of young men to coach and a great representation of our university. If you ask me what I am most looking forward to, it would be to have our student-athletes who were solo here on campus last year so to speak — to interact with the campus community this year. Also vice versa, I implore any of the students on campus to get to know and interact with our men’s basketball team. We have a global team, players from all around the country and all around the world, and we are proud that they are humble, good guys! If you know these guys, you will root for them and will want to cheer them on at the SRC Arena come November!”
“On the court, I am excited to see if we can Raise The Riv to our 3rd winning season in a row and see where we stand when all the chips are down at the Big West Tournament this year in Las Vegas.”
