2016-2017 Western State Conference Men's Basketball News
College of the Canyons men's basketball head coach Howard Fisher traveled to Israel this summer, coaching the USA Youth Men's Basketball team during the 20th World Maccabiah Games
The Bakersfield College Men’s Basketball program continued its stranglehold of the WSC South postseason awards in 2017. Head Coach Rich Hughes won his second straight Coach of the Year award, while freshman guard Jamar Hammond won the third straight Player of the Year honors for a Bakersfield player.
Citrus College first year head coach Brett Lauer and Barstow College fourth year head coach Gerry Wright shared the Coach of the Year honors in the WSC East after the two teams shared the conference title. Barstow secure the lone Player of the Year nod however in the form of sophomore forward Christian Drayton.
After winning the outright Western State Conference North Division Championship, the Ventura College Men’s Basketball team took home the top awards for the division. Sophomore forward Vida Faniel was named the North’s Player of the Year, while Head Coach Joey Ramirez was named the Coach of the Year.
The Ventura College Men’s Basketball team won the 2017 Western State Conference North Division Title outright on Saturday evening. It was the Pirates second straight, and third in its last five seasons, but also a WSC best 14th conference title overall.
Barstow College held off a late rally by Citrus College on Saturday night to secure a share of the inaugural Western State Conference East Division Championship. The Owls had two three’s rattle in and out at the buzzer as the two school’s would settle for co-conference championships.
For the second straight year, the Western State Conference South Division Men’s Basketball Championship has come from the North in the form of Bakersfield College. The Gades claimed their second straight WSC crown earlier than any other WSC team, clinching it with a win on Saturday February 11th.
The 2017 Western State Conference games kick-off on Saturday. All three divisions look to be up for grabs, as the WSC boasts some of the stiffest competition in Southern California.
