The Sacramento State men’s basketball team finished the season with a 2-27 overall record, with only one win in the Big Sky Conference. However, the team’s record does not tell the whole story. In a season which began with only four returning players, and 12 players without any Division I experience, the Hornets led by first-year Head Coach Brian Katz were faced with challenges that few teams in the Big Sky can relate to.

“We had a new group of guys, mostly junior college players and a new coaching staff, who were still getting a feel for each other and seeing what the Division I level is like,” said senior guard Loren Leath, who was the Hornets’ leading scorer, averaging 17.4 points per game. “Next year, (the team) will be really competitive because they’ll have 12 returners coming back, so they’ll be like every other team in the Big Sky, teams that have been playing together for two, three years.”

The Hornets’ lack of scoring depth at other positions hurt them, especially on the road, where the team was unable to get a win away from home. Despite its record, members of the team did not use their inexperience as an excuse, and instead formed a bond through a season filled with ups and downs.

“No matter what the record says I know exactly what went on in every practice and in every game, and I know that the guys on my team and the coaches, we all worked as hard as we could,” said junior forward Justin Eller, who led the team in rebounds with 6.5 per game.

“Whether or not our record reflects the amount of work we put in is for other people to decide, but I know that we worked really hard and I’m very proud of all my teammates and coaches, and I’m proud to be a Sac State Hornet,” Eller said.

The chemistry that the team developed over the past season will play an important role next year, as the Hornets are returning 12 players who will each benefit from having a year of Division I experience under their belts. Adding talented new players through recruiting will also be a key to the team’s future success.

Katz has been hard at work on the recruiting trail, already securing a commitment from high school standout Danny Lopez, a 6-foot-9 forward from Illinois who will help provide much-needed size and depth to the Hornets front line.

“We’re certainly not pleased with the outcome of the season in terms of winning and losing, but we feel like we’re getting on the right track,” Katz said.

Michael Mital can be reached at [email protected]