Before guard Haron Hargrave came out to California to play junior college basketball, he had never visited the Golden State.

“It was a big culture shock,” the New York native said. “I had never eaten a burrito before in my life.”

Hargrave made the move after a New York junior college exposure game in the spring of 2004 got him hooked up with Jeff Klein, coach of Chaffey Junior College in Rancho Cucamonga.Klein needed a point guard and Hargrave went out for a visit.

“The rest is history. After playing for Klein I was recruited by (Jerome) Jenkins,” Hargrave said. Klein called coach Jenkins to tell him about the point guard who he felt could fit in Jenkins’ system. Jenkins said that from the first time he saw Hargrave, he knew he could play for Sacramento State. “I like the fact that he can shoot the ball,” Jenkins said. “He can keep the D honest.”

Jenkins said that Klein liked the way Jenkins was treating his other players. Last season, Jason Harris came from Chaffey to the Hornets and won Big Sky Newcomer of the Year.

Jenkins said his ability to get players in California comes from some of the connections he made during his playing career and his coaching within the state.

He went to Fairfax High School in Southern California and played part of his college ball for Los Angeles City College. He also coached at Diablo Valley College in the Bay Area for four years.That California experience helped land a New York player.

Hargrave is from Queens, New York, where he played high school basketball at Campus Magnet High School. During his senior year he averaged 18.5 points and 8.4 assists per game and was named all-league and honorable mention all-city.

“He has that New York flavor. He’s a fierce competitor,” Jenkins said. “There is no wall he doesn’t think he can get over.”

He played his first year of college ball at Sullivan County Community College in Loch Sheldrake, New York, before transferring to Chaffey.

During his year at Chaffey, he averaged 15.5 points, five assists and four rebounds.Teams have adjusted to Hargrave’s early season success and as a result, his output has been limited in conference play.

Since opening the conference with 15 points against Portland State, Hargrave’s averages has dipped down to 8.1 points per game in conference on just 28.8 percent shooting.”I think right now (teams) are trying to beat him up a little bit when he goes to the basket,” Jenkins said. “He has to start making shots also.”

Hargrave agreed with the coach’s observation.

“Teams are forcing me to my offhand,” said Hargrave, a right-handed shooter. “I’m staying after practice, working on going to my left hand and I’ve been working on my pull-up jumper.”

He also said that the physical nature of Division I games has been hard on his body, but that it would not stop him from going to the basket.

“They really hit you hard in D-I. I need to take it to the rack more,” He said. “That will get my shot going again.”

In the Hornets’ last game, a 89-83 loss to Northern Arizona, Hargrave made it back to double digit scoring. He scored 10 points, but shot only 1 of 4 from the field. He shot 7 of 8 from the free throw line. Despite some struggles, Jenkins is convinced that Hargrave is a player to keep an eye one.

“Haron will be two times as good next year.”

Hargrave knows what that effort will take.

“I will work hard during the offseason on my weaknesses. I know what to expect.”

Robert Alvis can be reached at [email protected]