Last season saw Fresno Pacific finish fourth in the GSAC and win 20 games while playing one of the toughest schedules in the nation, but what head coach Chris Wright will remember most about his first season on the job was the way the Sunbirds were passed up for a national tournament bid, despite those credentials.
“I think everyone in our program has a little bit of a chip on their shoulder,” said Wright. “The disappointment really fueled our staff to sign a recruiting class that would get us back to where we need to be, and that's in Kansas City come next March.”
The Sunbirds have indeed reloaded, adding seven high-caliber players that should put the team in position to compete at the NAIA's highest level, in what will be FPU's final season in the NAIA before transitioning to the NCAA Division II.
“I truly believe that this is the most talented class that we have signed in my five years here,” said Wright. “There is no doubt that we upgraded at almost every position and really bolstered our ability to put points on the scoreboard. Just as important as adding talent, we added many high character guys that come from winning programs.”
The class consists of four junior college transfers, as well as three transfers from NCAA schools, and gives the Sunbirds a great balance of athleticism, toughness, size, shooting ability and defense. The newcomers (in alphabetical order) are listed below, with comments from Coach Wright on each player.
The Sunbirds open the season on Saturday, October 29, hosting Holy Names at 7 pm.
Bobby Bazelais – 6-4 Junior, Guard (Montgomery College-Rockville)
Bazelais, from Montgomery College-Rockville in Maryland, gives the Sunbirds an athletic scorer in the backcourt. Last season he averaged 15.3 points, 7.1 rebounds and 2.7 assists per game while leading Montgomery-Rockville to a 20-win season and an appearance in the district championship.
In February he was named the Maryland JUCO basketball Player of the Month, averaging 26 points per game and scoring a career-high 40 points against Prince George's Community College. Bazelais received many other accolades as well, including first team All-Region, All-Conference, and Maryland JUCO All-Star. Originally from Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Bazelais played his high school ball at Watkins Mill High School in Maryland.
Coach Wright says: “Bobby is an extremely talented scorer that can really get to the basket and finish with contact. His ability to get create off the bounce will make him an incredibly difficult cover at our level. We were extremely fortunate to get a player of his caliber as he chose Fresno Pacific over several Division-1 offers he had.”
Antonio Credit – 6-8 Junior, Center (Oakland Community College)
A 6'8” center with great athleticism, Credit joins the Sunbirds after two years at Oakland Community College in Michigan. As a sophomore he averaged 14.5 points, 10.4 rebounds, and 1.3 blocks per game while being named second team All-Conference. He was named MVP of the MCCAA All-Star Game, recording a double-double of 19 points and 19 rebounds. Credit is originally from Michigan and prepped at West Bloomfield High School.
Coach Wright says: “Antonio gives us size and a defensive presence inside. He really reminds me of a Tyson Chandler at our level. He's a guy that can make a huge impact on a game without scoring a basket. I think that we got an absolute steal in him.”
George DeLeon – 6-4 Senior, Guard/Forward (CSU Bakersfield)
DeLeon is no stranger to success in the local college basketball scene, having been a part of Fresno City College's state championship team in 2007 and helping lead the Rams to a 33-1 record in 2009. A monster athlete and lockdown defender, DeLeon averaged 13.8 points and nine rebounds per game as a sophomore at Fresno City while earning All–Central Valley Conference honors and CVC Defensive Player of the Year. The Rams posted a record of 63-9 with DeLeon on the roster. He spent his junior season at NCAA Division I CSU Bakersfield, playing in 17 games for the Roadrunners. A native of the Dominican Republic, DeLeon grew up in The Bronx and prepped at Washington High School in New York.
Coach Wright says: “George is an unbelievable competitor that is as tough as nails. He brings some nastiness on the floor that we didn't have last season. He's easily one of the best athletes in the conference and will make a big impact on both ends of the court. Also, his leadership skills and work ethic will make everyone around him better on a daily basis.”
Jake Hager – 6-7 Junior, Center (Henry Ford Community College)
Hager, a 6'7” center brings toughness and another inside presence to the Sunbird frontcourt. Last season Hager played at Henry Ford Community College in Detroit, helping lead his team to a 21-10 record while averaging 8.5 points and 8.5 rebounds per game. Originally from Michigan, Hager prepped at nationally-esteemed Whitney Young High School in Chicago. During his time there, his team was consistently ranked in the USA Today National High School Top-25.
Coach Wright says: “Jake was the last guy that we signed, and we feel fortunate to get a guy of his caliber as late as we did. He is a strong, physical post player that defends both on the perimeter and inside. I also like the fact that he can really control the glass, and score inside. He fills a void that we needed filled very badly.”
Zach Kaul – 5-10 Junior, Guard (Oakland Community College)
Kaul, a 5-10 guard and junior college teammate of Antonio Credit, further solidifies what is looking like a superb Sunbirds' backcourt. As a sophomore at Oakland Community College, Kaul averaged 17.2 points and 2.9 assists per game and was named third team All-Conference despite only playing half the season. As a freshman he averaged 12.1 points and 4.4 assists per game. After starting his high school career at Foothills Christian High School in San Diego, Kaul went on to star at Hartland High School in Michigan.
Coach Wright says: “Zach is a playmaker combo guard that is extremely deceptive. If you saw him walking down the street you might not think he could play a lick, but once you see him on the court you quickly realize that he can flat out play. He probably has the deepest shooting range of anyone in our program, and he has a great feel for the game. He's another guy that had D1 offers and we feel extremely lucky to get him.”
Donte Nicholas – 6-5 Senior, Forward (Metro State University)
Nicholas comes to FPU from NCAA Division II power Metro State in Colorado and gives the Sunbirds a prolific scorer that will make an immediate impact. As a junior he led Metro State in both scoring and rebounding, averaging 17.5 points, 6.2 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 1.9 steals per game, while shooting 44.7 percent from the field. He was named First Team All-Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC) as a junior and named to The Sporting News NCAA Division II honorable mention Preseason All-America team in 2010. In two seasons as a starter, he led Metro State to a 51-11 record. Nicholas spent his freshman season at Montgomery College-Rockville and was named a Division III Junior College All-American, first team All-Region, first team All-Maryland, Maryland JUCO all-star and team MVP. Originally from Washington DC, Nicholas prepped at Oakton High School in Virginia.
Coach Wright says: “There are only a handful of players at our level that can score the basketball the way that Donte can. His ability to put the ball in the basket will make him one of the top players in the GSAC next season. On top of being extremely talented, the guy just knows how to win, and our program is on going to greatly benefit from Donte Nicholas being a part of it.”
Lenny Young – 5-11 Junior, Guard (Coppin State University)
An explosive-scoring combo guard with exceptional quickness and ballhandling ability, Young transfers to FPU from NCAA Division I Coppin State where he played two seasons for the Eagles. As a sophomore, Young averaged 9.8 points per game while shooting over 40 percent from 3-point range. His best games came against top-competition, scoring a career-high 22 points against Michigan in December of 2009 and scoring 15 points against Colorado that same year. Originally from Philadelphia, Young starred at North Catholic High School.
Coach Wright says: “Lenny gives us another proven scorer that can flat light up the scoreboard. He has deep range and a quick release to go along with a strong physical body. Besides being a dead-eye shooter, he has the ability to get wherever he wants to get on the basketball court. He is going to be a nightmare for opposing defenses to guard. “
