Both basketball teams finished the regular season with a winning percentage above .800 and are playoff bound. The men’s team ended with an impressive record of 22-5 and finished the season with a dominant 114-77 win over Barstow. The women’s team finished with a dominant 26-2 record and won their fifth consecutive conference title. The women’s team also went undefeated in conference play and won the Inland Empire Athletic Conference. The women’s team finished the season on a 16-game winning streak and capped it off with a lopsided 93-37 win over Barstow.

Men’s Basketball Recap

In the spring of 2022, longtime head coach of the men’s team, Patrick Springer, who had served as the head coach since the 2003-04 season, handed the reins to longtime assistant, Trent Skinner. Skinner served as the interim head coach of the Eagles during the 2014-15 season. Skinner also had a brief stint as the head coach of College of Desert before returning to MSJC as an assistant in the 2021-22 season. In his first season as the full-time head coach of the Eagles, Skinner led the Eagles to a 22-5 record and a playoff berth as the 11th seed. A great start to the Skinner era. 

Freshman guard Dasean Stevens was the team’s leading scorer, assists, and rebound leader. Stevens averaged 21.1 points per game and scored 571 points overall, with a shooting percentage of 47.2%. Stevens averaged 4.6 assists per game with 123 total assists and averaged 8.1 rebounds per game with a total of 218 rebounds. Sophomore guard Cameron Durr was the 2nd leading scorer on the team with 15.5 points and 340 points overall, as well as a 41.4 shooting percentage. Freshman guard Jackson Bernardo was the team’s 2nd assists leader with an average of 4.3 assists and an assists total of 113. Freshman forward Alex Miller was 2nd on the team in rebounds with 161 rebounds.

Women’s Basketball Recap

In Chris Mozga’s 17th season as the head coach of the women’s team, the Eagles team won their fifth consecutive Inland Empire Athletic Conference title and finished 14-0 in conference play. Not only were they undefeated conference champions, but the games played were completely lopsided for the most part. Against IEAC teams, the Eagles outscored their opponents 1,103-517. Even though Victor Valley is the only team in the conference that finished above .500, it is still impressive to win that convincingly. The Eagles finished the season with an overall record of 26-2, a winning percentage of .929. They will enter the playoffs as the 9th seed. 

Sophomore guard Sandee Heiermann was the team’s scoring and assists leader. Heiermann scored 390 total points and averaged 15 points per game. Heiermann had 129 total assists and averaged 5 assists per game. Freshman forward Jana Roman was the team’s rebounds leader with 292 rebounds, an average of 11.2 rebounds per game. Roman was also the team’s second-leading scorer with 293 points,averaged 11.4 points per game, and a 47.5 shooting percentage. Freshman guard Valeria Brewer was the 2nd assists leader on the team with 73 assists and an average of 3 assists per game. Heiermann was the team’s 2nd rebounds leader with 202 rebounds and averaged 7.8 rebounds per game. 

Sandee Hiermann was the IEAC Player Of The Year and made 1st Team All-State. Jana Roman and Rayven Crook made the IEAC 1st Team. Jheisymae Artagame and Valeria Brewer made the IEAC 2nd team. Alexus Williams was an Honorable Mention. On the men’s team, Dasean Stevens and Cameron Durr made the IEAC 1st Team. Kyle Render and BJ Brown made the IEAC 2nd Team. We at The Talon would like to congratulate them on their achievements.

Both teams will play in the first round of CCCAA Regional Playoffs on Wednesday, Feb. 22nd at home in the San Jacinto campus gymnasium. The women’s game will be at 5:30 PM and the men’s game will follow at 7:30 PM. Let’s pack the gym!