Delta College men’s basketball, continues to improve its defense and ball handling skills as the team heads down the stretch of the regular season.
The Mustangs are currently third in the Big 8 Conference with a record of 5-3 and have an overall record of 11-9.
After ending last season with an Elite 8 appearance, the team is confident in its chances to reach that plateau once again.
Delta played against American River College on Jan. 28, executing a solid game plan to slow down ARC’s offensive attack.
“We want to slow American River down as much as possible because they can push the ball up the court very quick,” said Head Coach Rich Ressa.
The Mustangs took control of the game early with raining three pointers, second chance points, reaching the free throw line and a powerful slam dunk by sophomore Jarrel Green, which gave the Mustangs a commanding lead to end the first half 44-27.
Delta continued to trample over ARC throughout the second half winning the team’s second game in a row, with the final score 69-52.
“Our team was focused tonight. We paid attention to detail … Coach was right about the scouting report,” said sophomore Nicolus Guzman, who led the team with 22 points.
With several new players on the team this season, there have been difficulties with players getting familiar to the playing style of other teammates.
“In the beginning we were having a rough time getting acquainted with each other … We have a lot of players that have different roles but we’re getting back into the flow again,” said sophomore Guard Alex Simmons.
The team is galloping on a three-game winning streak after defeating Sierra College in overtime 76-66 on Jan. 31. Having players that can rotate, knowing where to be on the court at all times, is a key necessity for the Mustangs, which allows the team to stay fresh and energized.
“This time of year most teams usually use an eight man rotation but we’re doing just fine using 10,” said Ressa.