Chalk Up Another James Clark Classic For Las Positas

The Las Positas men’s basketball team, ranked 12th in the CCCMBCA Top 30 poll on Nov. 22, notched three straight wins at the James Clark Classic to improve to 8-2 on the season.
Sophomore forward Brandon Fisher (Sheldon HS) made the All-Tournament team, after averaging 18 points and 11.3 rebounds in the three wins.
The Hawks have been dominant in the James Clark Classic, having won championships in 2022, 2021, 2019 and 2017, and finishing second in 2018.
Fisher opened this Clark Classic with a double-double of 15 points and 17 rebounds in an 82-70 win over Reedley, then tacked on 16 points and five boards in a 73-58 win over Feather River. Fisher rounded it out with massive double-double of 23 points (10 of 13 from the floor) and 12 rebounds in an 84-69 win over Siskiyous.
But the Hawks (8-2) weren’t a one-man band.
Sophomore guard Jalen Patterson (Liberty Ranch HS) was excellent overall, including scoring 20 points and dishing off 10 assists and grabbing five rebounds against Feather River. He also had 17 points, seven rebounds and four assists against Siskiyous; and 19 points and four assists against Reedley.
Isaiah Victor (Manteca HS) a sophomore guard, amassed 21 points, five assists and two steals against Siskiyous. Freshman Henry Palmer (Bishop O’Dowd) added 10 points and four boards.
Against Reedley, Victor had 17 points and Jaden Phillips (Modesto Christian) added 14 points and eight rebounds. The Hawks surged late courtesy of strong full-court pressure.
The Hawks will play next five games at home, beginning against West Valley (Wednesday, Dec. 7), Diablo Valley (Friday, Dec. 9) and Folsom (Saturday, Dec. 17). They complete nonconference play at home against Marin on Dec. 30, before hosting State power CCSF on Jan. 4 to open play in the powerful Coast-North.

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
A trio of players paced the Hawks in a hard-fought loss to host Cuesta, 71-61, in nonconference play on Dec. 3.
Forward Monique Cavness, a 5-foot-11 freshman out of El Cerrito High, had an impressive double-double with 20 points and 20 rebounds, in a game the Hawks led at halftime, 37-36. Cavness also had three steals and two blocks. Freshman guard Ranaye Manu (Patterson HS) had a team-high 23 points to go with seven rebounds, two steals and two blocks.
Mi’Ari Garnett (Fairfield), another freshman guard on the young team, had 18 points, three rebounds and three assists.
Cavness, Manu and Garnett were selected as Hawks Players of the Game.
The Hawks will look to build on their solid effort at Feather River on Tuesday, Dec. 6

SOCCER
The Las Positas College men’s and women’s soccer teams received a combined 16 selections on All-Coast-South Conference teams.
The Hawks’ women (9-7-5), who finished third in the conference, amassed 10 picks, topped by three First-Team selections: goalkeeper Ava Buckles (Fr., San Ramon Valley HS), midfielder Ashley Arno (So., California HS) and forward Danielle Castro (Fr., Granada). Making the second team were defender Dani Gettler (So., California), midfielder Isabel Mello (So., Livermore) and forward Tiffani Cheng (So., Castro Valley). Honorable mention picks were forward Cebrina Chagoya (So., Tracy), forward Marisa Marquez (So., Granada), midfielder Irie O’Donnell (Fr., Dougherty Valley), and defender Alyssa Sullivan (So., Arroyo).
The Las Positas men’s team (7-10-4) received six all-conference picks, topped by first-team choices: defender Victor Diaz (So., Kimball) and goalkeeper Sean Miller (Fr., California). Forward Dylan Ersham (Fr., San Ramon Valley) and midfielder Christian Neves (So., West) made the second team, and brothers midfielder Grant (So., Freedom) and forward Griffin LaFleur (So., Heritage) were honorable mention.
The Las Positas men’s and women’s teams, both guided by head coach Andy Cumbo, upset host Santa Rosa Junior College teams in Round 1 of the NorCal Regional playoffs in penalty kick shootouts, an achievement that Cumbo described as a “legendary day” in his career and for the program.
The Hawks then lost in Round 2 of the playoffs, the women falling to No. 3 seed Sierra and the men losing to No. 6 Cosumnes River, both defeats coming on the road.
Cumbo has 98 total soccer wins at Las Positas (2016-22) and 275 at the collegiate level overall (2001-2022).