The Long Beach City College Men’s Basketball team is back and preparing for their first home game on November 10 against Citrus College, after the 2020/21 season cancellation due to COVID-19.
Men’s basketball began scheduling their sets of practices at the gymnasium for their first game since the pandemic. This season will feature new players as well as returning players from the 2019-20 season.
Barry Barnes, head coach for men’s basketball has been helping put the team back into shape so that they are prepared to play for this upcoming season since the return of formal practices being allowed.
“It’s been kinda tough for us, for the last seven to eight months. It’s been a grind as we try to get them into shape as fast as we can to get ready for the season, since we’ve been off for the last 16 months,” said Barnes.
Barnes is making sure his team is ready for their first game happening at Santa Ana College. The Santa Ana tournament that begins on November 4 and 6 will determine how well the team stands against their competition.
“It will give us a guideline to where we are. When we open at the Santa Ana tournament that will give us a real first time being back in a game against another team and it will give us what we need to work on before we play against Citrus College at home,” said Barnes.
New players are being welcomed to the team for this season as well as the returners who are excited to be back on campus. Both are crucial to the teams success of the 2021-22 men’s basketball season.
Returning players include Joshua Thornton who played in the 2019-20 season before the pandemic which led to a country-wide shutdown for most school campuses.
Thornton has used his time away from campus to get himself back into shape by making his beach trips into workouts and running track as a way to stay healthy.
“With the COVID pandemic it’s been hard because it’s really you holding yourself accountable. So having that sense of brotherhood helps you in these trying times,” said Thornton.
Freshman Jose Acevedo, an out of state student coming to LBCC this fall semester, is excited about participating on the team.
“I reminded myself that I’m here to go to school and do what I love, which is basketball,” said Acevedo.
Some players believe that their key improvements are mostly within offense but all agree that their objective for the season is in conditioning themselves to be better in all positions they are placed in.
This includes student athlete Evan Caldwell, who has kept a positive attitude about being a versatile player on the court.
“I keep myself in a positive attitude no matter what with a motivational attitude. I jump rope, go for a daily run, and get shots whenever I can and be ready for the season,” said Caldwell.
Barnes and his team are ready for what comes ahead with the start of a new season.
“Citrus is definitely going to be a challenge for us since they’re an outstanding team and it will be a major step in where we are when playing against Citrus College,” said Barnes.
Caldwell said “They expected Citrus College to be hungry but we will be hungrier because we have been waiting for this. We have a lot to prove this season and I’m ready for it.”