Golden Eagles basketball lands at Cal Pac tourney, scores awards

The Cal Pac semi-final and championship tournament games were held Feb. 28 – March 2 at the University of California, Merced, a five-hour drive from La Sierra’s Riverside campus.  The Golden Eagle’s women’s team, which pushed through the season with 14 green players on board, trounced Simpson University in a 70-58 semi-final match on Feb. 28. The team advanced to the conference championship title game on March 2 against UC Merced and came close to capturing the title in a tight game that saw the score tied multiple times. In the end, UC Merced took the day in a 60-56 win over the Golden Eagles.

The Golden Eagles men’s team played a difficult game against Westcliff University which ultimately prevailed in a 74-57 contest and emerged the tournament’s title champions. Westcliff qualified for the national contest under the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA). The California Pacific Conference is one of 21 under the NAIA umbrella.

“The energy and excitement of competing at that level was unmatched." -- Breonna Martinez, Guard, Golden Eagles Women's Basketball

Players and coaches for both Golden Eagles’ teams expressed pride in reaching their objective of playing in the conference tournament games. The path to the tournament is difficult for student-athletes who must simultaneously perform well academically.

Women’s team guard Breonna Martinez noted, “The energy and excitement of competing at that level was unmatched and being able to share that moment with my teammates made it even more special. Playing in the tournament games was intense but we knew that we were there for a reason. I loved the challenge of competing against some of the best teams.”

“It was our goal materializing before our eyes so it felt pretty good,” said men’s team forward David Odinigwe, a senior who received an all-conference honorable mention. “It was fun, but there was definitely a level of pressure.”

His take-aways from the experience­––“Nothing happens on accident,” Odinigwe said. “When you reach a certain height, it is because you did enough things right to land you there. The more right things you do, the higher you land.”

Mark Boland, a Golden Eagles forward and an all-conference senior noted, “All year we have been putting ourselves in adversity to test our abilities as players and teammates in order to prepare ourselves for a greater goal. We were lucky and able to keep it alive and getting to play in the tournament was an honor to that original commitment and sticking through with it.” 

“It was an experience I will remember for a lifetime." -- Triston Broughton, Guard, Golden Eagles Men's Basketball

Added Martinez, “One of the biggest lessons I took away from the experience was the importance of perseverance and staying composed under pressure. The tournament tested our ability to adapt, work together, and push through adversity, which are valuable skills not just in basketball but in life.”

“It's a goal every ball player dreams of doing, playing in the playoffs for a chance to win a championship ring,” said Triston Broughton, a graduate sports management student who plays guard with the men’s team. He received a Champion of Character award for the 2024-2025 season. “It was an experience I will remember for a lifetime, as it was a special moment for my team for a multitude of reasons.

“The game of basketball has taught me so many lessons that can be applied both on and off the court,” Broughton said. “It's taught me how to collaborate and work as a unit and how to effectively communicate. I’ve learned the importance of relationships with teachers, coaches, teammates, faculty and how we are all one unit working cohesively. I’ve learned how to self-motive and push myself making sure I'm always accountable for my team.”

Said Boland, “For me as a senior I am saying goodbye to my collegiate career to see what the future holds for me. And so this last game, and more importantly this entire season, was a memory in my life that I will always cherish.”

The men’s basketball team also landed in last year’s 2023-2024 conference tournament following an eight-year absence from the end-of-season contests.

“I was very proud of our team's performance at the Cal Pac tournament,” said head coach Ethan Lowe. “We fell short against a talented and well-coached Westcliff team that ultimately won the tournament. I was particularly grateful to see our seniors compete with such integrity in the closing minutes of the game, it was indicative of their character to do the right thing no matter what the circumstance presents.”

The women’s Golden Eagles basketball team landed in the tournament after an “historic and magical season,” noted Kevin Mitchell, the team’s head coach. “The tournament experience was amazing. Our success was attributed to the hard work, commitment and dedication from our players and coaching staff. For us to win our conference awards and reach the championship game while recruiting over 14 new student athletes is a testament to our program, the body of work, and the financial support from La Sierra University.”

The women’s team will lose five senior players this year but will build around its core group.

Golden Eagles women’s basketball will host multiple prospect camps and skills-related camps during the offseason to evaluate future Golden Eagles, Mitchell said. The camps are slated to begin in April 2025 with information posted on the team’s social media and marketing resources.

“As we make the transition to the [Great Southwest Athletic Conference] GSAC [in 2025-2026], we will need to get bigger and longer at every position,” Mitchell said. “We will need to recruit student athletes who will complement the skill sets of our returning players. We need to play faster, with more pace, get stronger around the rim, and shoot the ball at a higher percentage from distance.”