LOS ANGELES – Coming into the 2023-24 campaign following last year's 13-win season, there might have been speculation that this Wildcats team would need time to climb to the same heights the program had reached in 2022. However, this group has proved that a single season does not define the Chico State men's basketball program.
A roster boasting veterans familiar with this stage combined with players getting their first glimpse at the national level blasted their way to their first win at the NCAA DII West Regional. The Wildcats pounced on Yellowjacket mistakes to claim the first round 78-64, behind a career performance from Kelvin Wright Jr. and a second-half of Wildcat dominance.
From the opening tip, Wright Jr. had a noticeable energy, battling for every loose rebound in sight and creating his own way to the basket through a hulking Yellowjacket defense. The senior center is just a short drive from his hometown of Rancho Cucamonga; with family and friends in the stands, he put up an incredible double-double performance in the opening round. He was all smiles as he put up 16 points and grabbed 13 rebounds, shooting 6-for-12 from the field and stole seven offensive rebounds from MSUB.
"I thought our defense from the start was really, really good; Montana State Billings obviously a really explosive offensive team," says head coach Greg Clink, "I thought we did a great job guarding them."
In his 16th season with Chico State, Coach Greg Clink has embedded a solid defensive philosophy at the root of his team, with that practice put on full display against the Yellowjackets who average 77 points a game, limited to only 64 in their contest.
Each of the Wildcats' starters found buckets today, following Wright Jr.'s example and scoring in the double digits to pull away in the second half after trailing by a single point at the half. Sophomore Miles Daniels and Jojo Murphy added 15 points each in the win, accounting for five of the 'Cats seven shots from beyond the arc. Joshua Hamilton and Adam Afifi also boosted the team's score by 12 points each, with Afifi rejecting four shots along the way.
All season long, the Wildcats have been a transitional team that refuses to slow down when they pick up any loose ball. This was evident in Friday's opening round win, the 'Cats recording 23 points off fast-breaks while slowing down MSUB at any moment they glimpsed open court.
Alongside Kelvin Wright Jr., senior Joshua Hamilton is wringing out as much time as possible as they move on from Chico State men's basketball following this season. "I thought Josh Hamilton's play was phenomenal, his defense especially," Greg Clink said about Hamilton's outstanding leadership on the court.
The Wildcats went right at the Yellowjackets out of the gates in the second half, putting together a strong string of baskets to push to a ten-point lead with just over ten minutes on the clock. Chico State's offense saw a sharp uptick in the final half, shooting 53 percent as opposed to their 31 percent in the opening half.
A flurry of three-pointers from Afifi, Daniels, and Murphy iced out the game, snuffing out any chance for the Yellowjackets to rally back.
With the first win under their belts, Chico State improves to 21-8 and is undefeated against non-conference opponents—they advance to the second round to play against a familiar foe, Cal State San Bernardino. The Coyotes squeaked out a 52-49 thriller over the Seawolves of Alaska Anchorage and will be the next up in the Wildcats' journey to the Elite Eight.
Tip-off for the next round vs CSU San Bernardino is at 5 PM.
