The California Baptist University’s men’s basketball team is new and improved this 2020 season with a current record of 17-7.
Head coach Rick Croy discussed how ready and focused the team needs to be throughout the mid-season. He said they need to continue to battle and fight to have an edge in its second season in Division I.
“Our team has improved each month, but the most important part of a mile is laps three and four,” Croy said. “We are excited about running the race together.”
Even with things going their way, Croy said he still believes there are many new challenges in their journey.
“The biggest challenge is to see adversity as being a set of challenges, instead of a set of problems. In my heart and mind, I feel that the team is having a great resolve, capability, and desire to hunt and grab excellence,” Croy said.
Omar Lo, senior communication studies major and power forward, clarified the type of advice he has been giving his team, especially the freshmen, on the midseason and throughout the end of the season.
“The advice I’ve given my teammates is that the season is long and it’s about getting better each day and having a worker’s mindset. As far as the freshmen, they bring a competitive spirit and my advice has been understanding that you’re going to make mistakes early, but it’s all about staying the course,” Lo said.
Ferron Flavors Jr., junior business administration major and shooting guard, said he believes his team has prepared, worked hard and progressed more like a family than just a team.
“As a team, we still have our eyes set on winning the conference, but that’s going to require an intense focus on every game,” Flavors said.
The entire team looks to continue their strong season and to improve their record in match ups such as their final home game on homecoming night against Seattle University and on the road against New Mexico State University.
As for big-time matchups and rivalries, the Lancers won a very close game Feb. 6 against the California State University, Bakersfield, Roadrunners, with a score of 74-69. However, the Lancers came up short Feb.8, with a 93-100 deficit against their main rival, Grand Canyon University.
If the Lancers bounce back and finish the season on a high note, they stand a good chance of winning the Western Athletic Conference championship March 14.
