Following a 20-win season, the Wildcats earned the sixth seed in the NCAA Division-II West Regional Tournament, and are set to face off against the No. 3 seeded Montana State Billings Yellowjackets.
The ‘Cats are no strangers to the tournament, with three players from the 2021-22 team that made it to the Elite Eight: Kelvin Wright Jr., Joshua Hamilton and Evan Oliver.
Oliver, in his junior year, said head coach Greg Clink, along with the rest of the coaching staff, has put them in a position to lead the rest of the team so that they can continue the success even after they leave.
His main goal, along with the other veterans, is to inspire the newcomers and teach them to win at the next level.
“It’s a lot harder than it seems to know how to win,” Oliver said. “It’s a lot like a chess match.”
For freshman Caden Harris, veterans like Oliver prepared them for their first tournament appearance. He said that having their experiences passed down has been huge in getting them ready for their first game in the West Regional.
Harris, in his first year playing at Chico State, is excited to make a run for a title so early in his college career.
“It’ll be a super fun experience, especially in my freshman year,” Harris said.
Coach Clink is not a stranger to the big stage, having coached the Wildcats in eight NCAA tournaments in his 16 years as head coach. After falling in the Elite Eight in 2022 against Augustana University, he looks to make a deep run this year.
But more importantly, Clink is excited for the team, stressing that they have been grinding since September to be able to be in this situation and compete for an NCAA title.
“I couldn’t be more proud of what we’ve accomplished and what we’re trying to accomplish here,” he said. “They’re ready.”
Looking forward to round one, the Wildcats will face Montana State Billings, who were the Great Northwest Athletic Conference regular season champions with an overall record of 20-7. The Yellowjackets are a very complete team, featuring the GNAC Player of the Year in junior Jalen Tot, as well as the GNAC Defensive Player of the Year, Steven Richardson.
To combat the Yellowjackets, Clink has been stressing the need to play unselfish, physical basketball on both ends of the court. He said the CCAA is known for its physical playstyle, and the team needs to show it in the tournament.
The Wildcats will meet the Yellowjackets on Friday at noon at Cal State LA’s University Gym. The game can be streamed here.
Nathan Chiochios can be reached at [email protected].
