Rachel Roth, Spring 2009 Staff Writer
The last two seasons for the Pierce College men’s basketball program has been a struggle both on and off the court. This season, it’s all about redemption.
“There is a whole redemption mindset,” said head coach Edward Babayan, who has been with the program since its reinstatement in 2002. Babayan is entering his fourth season as full-time head coach after working for two years as an assistant coach and one year as interim coach.
Babayan describes his team as “more mature both mentally and physically,” with a “way better work ethic and strong commitment and desire to being a good team and winning.”
“Every day they are in the gym or the weight room,” said Sean Edwardsen, assistant coach.
Last season, which Babayan described as “difficult,” ended with two wins and 24 losses. Five players had to sit out due to injuries and, according to Edwardsen, academic ineligibility. Three of the five were key players: point guard Ever Lopez, center Arash Riahi and shooting guard Peter St. Hubert.
“We look to Ever Lopez for leadership,” said Riahi, who redshirted the season due to a torn ACL. “He is the leader of the team.”
Babayan said, “We knew internally, with the players that were sitting out for us, we automatically would have been a lot better.”
The 2006-’07 season also ended in disappointment. Ranked second in the state, the team was forced to forfeit all but one of their wins due to a clerical error. Eligibility forms were not correctly sent to the Commission on Athletics.
“We never really got a complete explanation of what it was,” Edwardsen said. “We never were told exact answers.”
The return of Lopez, Riahi and St. Hubert – as well as aid from incoming recruits, including shooting guards Justice Von Wright, Bertrand Kamga and Juan Gil – give Babayan reason to be optimistic.
“No matter what, talent wise, we (will) be a lot better this year,” said Babayan, who is hopeful that more students will come out and support the team. “We have a lot more home games (this season) than we’ve had in the past.
Riahi also has confidence in the team, saying, “The new recruits will help.”
The team has a goal in mind for the upcoming year, but Babayan said they’d “like to keep that within themselves.”
“Not only are they good basketball players, but they are a high-character group of kids,” Babayan said. “They’ll do nothing but represent this school and the basketball program in the best way.”
The first home game of the season will be Nov. 12 at 7:30 p.m. against Los Angeles City College.More information on the men’s basketball team is available at http://info.piercecollege.edu/departments/athletics/mnbasktball.html
Pierce College men’s basketball trainer Nikola Marojevic, who has been practicing for three years at Pierce, and Rizie Williams are training drill defense. ()