A new year is approaching, which means a new season of basketball looms for the San Joaquin Delta College Mustangs.
The team tips off the season with a new outlook, fresh legs, and a combination of old and new faces. It is not just a game of, “Putting the ball in the hoop”, but to these young men it is life as well. They have put new goals in front of themselves and are destined to achieve them.
One thing they would like to put far behind them is a sub .500 season just a year ago.
Players say that Head Coach Rich Ressa has his team working hard day in and day out for the team to succeed on and off the court.
The clock is ticking for the Mustangs as they are just a little under a month away from the Ohlone tournament, which will be the first test of the season on the 4th-6th of November.
As of right now when asked to sum up the team in one word, the word of choice is, “Driven”, says sophomore point guard Quinton Burse.
“We just want to succeed as a team and as a family and do whatever it takes to be successful,” said Burse.
Very strong words from one of the leaders on the team, that as time progresses, will show that they are one big family on and off the court.
“Last year is in the past” he adds, “We do not want another season like last year so we’re going to do everything in our power to not let that happen again.”
The Mustangs return two of their top scorers in Derek Wofford and Marcus Beaird.
They bring nothing but talent, power and leadership to the table for a team looking to be better than anybody on the court and have the highest confidence to do just that.
A big future for all these young men lay straight ahead and if things turn out the way they want and need, they could definitely be a contender to win the Big 8 Conference.
But what all these men know is that basketball is life and everything they do reflects their play off the court.
They are well prepared and are willing to fight on the court every single night.
Only time will tell how far the Mustangs can go, but for now the team is headed in the right direction.
