A CRC basketball update

From Nick Podesta, Cosumnes River College Sports Information Officer/Assistant Men's Basketball Coach: 

                         Hawks Soar in Big 8 Play

              Hawks freshman forward Jaycob Velasco

Hawks knock off first-place Delta, Standifer named SAOTM

The Cosumnes River College men’s basketball team is rolling in the Big 8 conference, following a pair of tough losses on the road recently. Young and shorthanded, the Hawks have mounted an offensive with an exciting roster of players, taking fourth place in the Big 8 and on a quest for further improvement in the weeks ahead. After a double-digit defeat at the hands of crosstown rival Sacramento City last week, CRC opened the week with its most difficult stretch of the conference schedule, with meetings against first-place teams Santa Rosa JC and Delta College.

The Hawks have since strung together back to back wins against quality opponents, including a big home victory against then first-place and #19-ranked, Delta College.  The game was tight from beginning to end, as both teams played very well defensively, limiting scoring opportunities for each other throughout the contest. Cosumnes River’s inside attack proved to be too much for Delta College however, as the Hawks knocked off the Mustangs 67-61 last Friday.  Freshman forward Jaycob Velasco (Pleasant Valley HS/Sacramento), pictured above, led the way with an impressive 19 point 13 rebound performance. Cosumnes River followed this performance with an impressive road victory against host Modesto Junior College last night, to seize fourth place in the Big 8. Sophomore guard Charles Standifer (Capital Christian HS/Sacramento) put forth his most impressive performance of the 2012-2013 campaign, scoring a career-high 45 points, while collecting seven rebounds in the team’s 91-75 victory.  Velasco had another quality performance for the Hawks, notching his second consecutive double-double, scoring 24 points while grabbing 13 rebounds in the win.

CRC opened the week last Tuesday on the road against #3-ranked Santa Rosa Junior College. Cosumnes River played very well throughout the duration of the contest, with a combination of efficient offense and a quality effort on the glass. However, Santa Rosa had one of the most impressive offensive performances in recent memory, connecting on 23 three-pointers on 56% shooting to defeat Cosumnes River, 97-74.  Velasco led all Hawks scorers with 22 points in the game, while snagging a game-high seven rebounds.

Cosumnes River (12-12; 5-4) looks to continue their quality play in the Big 8 conference this season on Friday, when they take on rival American River College (10-10; 4-5) on the road. CRC will return home next week when they take on Diablo Valley College next Tuesday, on Breast Cancer Awareness night.

We’d also like to take a moment to recognize guard Charles Standifer for being named CRC’s Student-Athlete of the Month for January.  Standifer’s 18 points and seven rebounds per game in January helped lead the Hawks to a 3-4 record over the month, and in sole possession of fourth place. Standifer also added a pair of assists and steals per game over the month as well. The sophomore transfer from the University of San Francisco scored double-digits in each game over that month, also posting a double-double in the team’s win over Modesto Junior College, posting 19 points and 12 rebounds in the game. Standifer also posted highs for the month in both scoring and steals in a victory over American River, when he scored 26 points while grabbing six steals on the night. He is currently ranked in the top-10 in the State in scoring at 20.7 points per game, while also leading the Hawks in nearly every statistical category. Standifer was also named Student-Athlete of the Month in November.