First-year player Jordan Estrada is one of the tri-captains for the Sacramento State Hornets men’s basketball team and looks forward to his role as captain this season.

Estrada transferred from Diablo Valley College in Pleasant Hill, Calif. this semester and was voted by his teammates to be their captain.

“He was great for the job. He works hard and he is a vocal leader,” teammate John Dickson said. “He motivates us and brings energy to practice.”

Head coach Brian Katz said Estrada’s leadership and shooting touch is what attracted him most to the junior guard.

“He is a really good shooter, good worker and a tough kid,” Katz said. “He has always been a captain. It is kind of who he is and what he is all about.”

Estrada played two seasons at DVC and averaged 13.2 points, 1.8 assists, 1.6 steals, and three rebounds per game as a sophomore. He shot 39.5 percent from the field and 40.6 percent from beyond the arc averaging 3.3 3-pointers per game.

During Estrada’s senior year at De La Salle high school in Concord, Calif., he suffered a fractured fibula after falling on his elbow. He missed a couple of months of practice but continued to work on his shooting by shooting one-handed on the sideline during practices. He attended workouts at DVC to improve on his shooting after his surgery.

Estrada was recruited mostly on his ability to lead and shoot. He said Katz told him his competitiveness was a major factor as well.

When he found out he was elected a team captain Estrada was thrilled, he said.

“I was honored and surprised, to be honest. It is a great feeling that these guys have a lot of respect for me,” Estrada said. “I am not afraid to say what is on my mind and it is dream for me to be a Division I captain.”

Estrada said he has developed his leadership skills over time.

“In high school I was never a vocal leader. In junior college my coach told me to be more vocal,” Estrada said. “I also became a smarter player. I am not the biggest, strongest or fastest so I have to use my brain.”

Guard Joe Eberhard said he was the right player for the job and it was no surprise to him.

“I lived with him all summer, so it was no surprise. He was helping set things up during summer workouts and gathered us on when to meet up,” Eberhard said. “He is fun to be around, easy to live with and we get along really well.”

Estrada said he is a tough vocal leader and his role is to get the team to play well.

“I am strong-minded and very vocal. I am not the best athlete in Div I, but if I can make these guys play better by being vocal we will be a heck of a team,” Estrada said.

Eberhard said Estrada does not shy away from giving them constructive criticism in practice.

“He is a vocal leader, not afraid to call us out when we need it,” Eberhard said. “He leads by example, like when stepping in first in drills against the big guys. If someone can lead vocally and by example you are going to respect him.”

Estrada said the team has been very supportive of him and was able to achieve good team chemistry.

“This year we have a good group of guys, we bonded really quickly. We became such close friends early in the game and it will help us out a lot down the road,” Estrada said.

Estrada shares a house with teammate Eberhard and they were able to get know each other before the season started.

“Having such a lazy roommate around the house helps me out as well in basketball. He just sits around the house and he does nothing,” Estrada said jokingly.

Estrada said senior center Josh McCarver helped him adapt to his new team.

“All the guys helped, but mainly McCarver. He would always pick me in the open gym games and he is also my weight partner. He helped me out a lot,” Estrada said.

So far this season Estrada has played in six games starting in three of them and averaging 5.0 points per game and 2.0 rebounds per game. 

Daniel Morales can be reached at [email protected].