Greg Clink, Gus Argenal and Rob Bishop all spent time as assistant coaches in the Chico State men's basketball program. They'll each lead their respective teams into Acker Gym this weekend. Clink's Wildcats will host Argenal's Cal State East Bay team Friday night and Bishop's Cal State Monterey Bay squad Saturday.
Tipoff each night is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.
Clink's sixth year with the Wildcats might turn into his best yet. The 25th-ranked Wildcats are off to a 10-2 start overall and 6-2 in the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA). A win Friday would match Chico State's best record through 13 games for the first time since the 1942-43 season. Two wins this weekend would make the Wildcats 12-2 for the fourth time ever and first since 1940-41.
Playing for his predecessor, Head Coach Puck Smith, Clink was part of three Chico State conference title teams from 1992-94, earning a trip to the NCAA Championship Tournament West Regional in 1992-93 and the team's Most Inspirational Player award his senior year. Clink remained with the Wildcats as an assistant coach under Smith for two more seasons.
Clink imparted all he learned from Smith, and more, to Argenal. He was Clink's head assistant coach during his first three seasons at Chico State. The two remain very close. Argenal, in his first year as a head coach, has guided the Pioneers to a 6-8 season thus far (3-5 in the CCAA).
Argenal also has two assistants that might be familiar to Chico State hoops fans: long-time Wildcats point guard Jay Flores and Chico High School and Butte College product Brett Smyth.
Check out
CLINK'S CORNER to hear his thoughts on Argenal's return and more.
Bishop was an assistant coach for Smith from 1997-98 to 2000-01. He's now in his sixth season as head coach at Cal State Monterey Bay. The Otters are 4-7 overall and 2-6 in the CCAA.
The Wildcats are two games into a stretch in which they'll play six of eight at home. They already made up some ground in the CCAA standings last weekend, rising from tied for fourth to tied for third.
Chico State remains two games behind conference leader Cal State San Bernardino and a game back of Cal Poly Pomona.
MILESTONE WATCH
A trio of Wildcats have a prime opportunity to reach significant statistical milestones in front of the home fans this weekend.
Sean Park is 10 shy of 1,000 career points. He would be the 13th player in school history to get there and join former teammates Damario Sims and Roderick Hawkins on the list. Park, who also ranks seventh in Chico State history with 254 made free throws, is on pace to play in his 100th game for the Wildcats on Saturday night.
Wildcats' sixth-man Jordan Semple is just 13 rebounds shy of 500 for his career. He can become the 12th player in Chico State history to reach that mark and the first since Hawkins in 2011. The junior already ranks fourth in career blocked shots at Chico State with 72.
Rashad Parker needs to make five 3-pointers to reach 100 in his career. A dozen Wildcats have accomplished the feat, including Parker's former teammates Sims and Jay Flores, and current teammate Amir Carraway, who has made 108.
Parker made 18-of-20 free throws last weekend to raise his career average to .842 and move into second in school history behind Jon Baird (.846). If he can make his next four in a row, he'll move into a tie with Baird for first.
