Cal State San Bernardino is the favorite to take home the CCAA men’s basketball title, at least according to a poll of member coaches.
The Coyotes totaled 115 points to finish just ahead of defending CCAA regular-season and tournament champion Cal Poly Pomona who garnered 112 points. The Coyotes and Broncos split the first-place votes with six a piece.
San Francisco State edged Chico State for third with 92 points. The Wildcats, who were picked to finish first in last season’s coaches’ poll have been forecasted to finish fourth with 91 points. Cal State Dominguez Hills has been predicted to finish fifth for the second time in as many years with 86 points.
Cal State San Bernardino begins its 12th season under head coach Jeff Oliver and is coming off of a 20-9 season which included a sixth-straight Conference Tournament berth and the Coyotes’ seventh NCAA tournament appearance under Oliver’s direction.
With the absence of former seniors Johnny Bell and All-American Kwame Alexander, the Coyotes have brought in 11 newcomers to join top returners, Lacy Haddock and Joshua Gouch. All-CCAA Second Team selection Haddock averaged 12.4 points per game and was the Conference leader in assists (5.0) and minutes played (37.4) per contest.
Cal Poly Pomona captured their first-ever outright regular-season title after matching the school record for wins in a season with an overall record of 28-3. Four-time CCAA Coach of the Year, Greg Kemansky guided the Broncos to their third NCAA tournament appearance in five years.
Despite graduating All-American and reigning CCAA Player of the Year Mitchel Anderson, the Broncos look to remain competitive with the return of two seniors starters–Terrence Drisdom and DeRonn Scott. Drisdom was named to the All-CCAA First team and received All-West Region honors the National Basketball Coaches Association (NABC) and Daktronics, Inc. after averaging 13 points and 3.0 assists per game, and leading the CCAA with 2.0 steals per game. Scott averaged 10.6 points per game.
Here is the complete rundown.
| 2013-14 MEN’S BASKETBALL PRESEASON COACHES POLL |
| FINISH | INSTITUTION | POINTS |
| 1. | Cal State San Bernardino (6) | 115 |
| 2. | Cal Poly Pomona (6) | 112 |
| 3. | San Francisco State | 92 |
| 4. | Chico State | 91 |
| 5. | Cal State Dominguez Hills | 86 |
| 6. | Cal State L.A. | 75 |
| 7. | Sonoma State | 60 |
| 8. | Humboldt State | 48 |
| 9. | Cal State Stanislaus | 40 |
| 10. | Cal State East Bay | 32 |
| 11. | UC San Diego | 24 |
| 12. | Cal State Monterey Bay | 17 |
(#) – Indicates first-place votes
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