Jalen Patterson Bolsters Las Positas In NorCal Return

Team chemistry is about adding the right elements. Adding Jalen Patterson into the mix has bolstered Las Positas College’s men’s basketball team as the Hawks gear up for conference play.

Patterson has come to Livermore from Galt, by way of Yuma, Arizona. The 6-foot-1 guard is averaging 17.5 points per game, second to team-leading Jordahn Johnson with 19.4, with Isaiah Victor third at 14.2. Patterson is shooting 40 percent from the 3-point stripe, leading the team with 2.5 treys a game. With 5.7 assists and 1.4 steals per game, he’s provided a well-rounded spark, on and off the court.

“First of all, he’s a likable young man,” said Las Positas coach James Giacomazzi, whose team has a 9-4 record. “He’s got a good personality, and he’s ingratiated himself with the team. On the court, his percentages are pretty good across the board and he’s been efficient.”

Patterson transferred in from Arizona Western, a top-notch program itself. The timing was right for Patterson, who grew up in Galt, to return to Northern California.

He won’t miss the scorching heat in Arizona, for sure. He’s accustomed to NorCal’s hot summers, but one 121-degree day in Yuma was ridiculously off the charts.

“Oh man, it was soooo hot,” Patterson recalled. “You could feel it in every breath. They had everybody stay inside that day.”

These days, he’s heating up on the basketball floor. He’s reacquainted with Hawks teammates like Evan Johnson from Capital Christian of Sacramento and Victor from Manteca High.

“Evan Johnson I’ve known since we were 8 years old,” Patterson said. “Isaiah Victor, I have known for the last five years.”

Those rekindled connections have helped with the camaraderie that’s important for a winning team, Giacomazzi said.

“He did that right away, so the guys know what to expect from him,” Giacomazzi said. “He has helped create a bit of a calming feel.”

That camaraderie will be important when the Hawks jump into Coast-North Conference play, where there are no easy matchups. Las Positas kicks things off on Wednesday, Jan. 4 at home against City College of San Francisco — the only team to beat them in conference play last season.

The Rams are ranked third in the state in the California Community College Men’s Basketball Coaches Association (CCCMBCA) poll, the highest of any NorCal team. Las Positas sits at 17th in the poll.

The elements are coming together. Giacomazzi noted how Victor has stepped up to contribute in scoring. Returning forward Brandon Fisher is shooting 57.6 from the field and was all-tournament at the James Clark Classic. Providing more offensive spark is Jaden Phillips, whose brother is Jamari Phillips, a Modesto Christian High School standout who just committed to Arizona. Defensive catalyst Evan Johnson has had a solid start, Giacomazzi said.

Patterson made a name for himself at Liberty Ranch High School in Galt. He set the career scoring record at the small school that just opened in 2009. Those teams battled into the Sac-Joaquin Section playoffs during his junior and senior years.

From there, Patterson moved on to Arizona Western, a national-caliber program.

Not only did COVID-19 prevent any chance of a regular season his freshman year, that was a moot point as he tore his ACL in a practice.

“That was mentally frustrating,” he said. “The rehab process was very hard but once I got better I felt blessed to be back on the court. To get back to 100% was even harder than I thought; it was a lot of blood, sweat and tears.”

After playing 23 games as a sophomore, he decided the time was right to move back to Northern California. This will be his second year of community college playing eligibility, since his freshman season was wiped out by COVID.

Interested in pursuing either a sports management or business management degree, Patterson isn’t putting geographic limits on where he’ll go to complete his college pursuits.

“I’ll go wherever, and to whoever believes in me,” he said. “I don’t care about the location.”

Patterson is excited to play for the Hawks and be coached by Giacomazzi.

“James is the smartest coach I’ve played for,” he said. “He lays it all on the line and you want to go out and lay it on the line for him and give all you can out on the floor.”

The Hawks (27-4 in 2021-22) came into this season fresh off their first state championship appearance, to raise their high bar for excellence even higher.

The challenge is to carry on that level of success. The Hawks return to action after the Christmas break with a Dec. 30 home game with Marin, their final nonconference matchup before embarking on another Coast Conference quest.

While scoring has been solid, Giacomazzi said the Hawks need to improve on defense.

“Defensively, we have to take more pride in staying in front of the basketball and making sure we know what our assignment is,” the coach said. “Offensively, players are finding what it takes to be successful. We realize that scoring is a lot easier when we have better ball movement.”

Of their four losses, two came in overtime against San Jose and fourth-ranked West Valley, and there was a 68-67 road loss at Modesto. The Hawks returned to the win column with a convincing 91-57 victory over Folsom Lake on Dec. 17.

“We need to learn how to close games,” Patterson said, “When you're out there, you have to give it 100% all the time. We’re pretty good, but we just need to know how to finish.”