A season of mixed emotion ended on Saturday night on March 5 when the Yuba College men’s basketball team fell one game short of the Elite 8, losing to West Valley in Saratoga 83-70.
The 49ers were without sophomore shooting guard Jon Sheets for most of the game, Sheets tried to play on the injured ankle but only lasted 12 minutes and was scoreless for the night.
“If we have (Jon Sheets) healthy I think we can win this game,” said Coach Doug Cornelius
Mychael Henry scored a team high 21 points, and Solomon Mercado added 20.
Coach Cornelius explained, “We had high expectations for ourselves as a team, and so did everyone else. We started the season ranked 1st in the State. We had a bull’s eye painted on our backs and every game was played like a playoff game. The league always brought their A-game against us.”
The Yuba College men’s basketball team this season had a top-5 season in Yuba College history, according to Cornelius.
Prior to the Saratoga game, Yuba went on the road and faced sixth ranked Hartnell on Friday, February 25, upsetting them in dominant fashion, 99-69. Sophomore Zach Andrews pulled down 25 rebounds, dominating the boards all game long.
The 49er men’s basketball team will be losing 11 sophomores.
Yuba Forward Zach Andrews will take his relentless hustle, his dominating rebounding and high-flying jumping abilities to Bradley State, teaming up with former Yuba College stand-out Lawrence Wright.
Ten to twelve different schools are looking to recruit Yuba guard Jon Sheets. He has yet to make a decision.
Chris Thornton will take be playing for Arkansas, Little Rock, next season.
Marysville High standout Mychael Henry will be playing for Angelo State University in Texas.
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