The Los Medanos Men’s Basketball team finished a season where they dominated their opposition for most of the season as they cruised to a final record of 22-8. Their season ended when they fell to Chabot College 89-82 in the second round of the California Community College Athletic Association Men’s Basketball NorCal Regionals. 

No one predicted the Mustangs Men’s basketball team to be as good as they were this season as all of the starting five from the previous season graduated and were no longer on the team.

“While graduating all five starters on that remarkable team no one expected us to comeback the next season and be just as good. Once practice started and we saw how hard our players worked. We knew we were going to have a great year,” head coach Derek Domenichelli said about going into this season.

The team jumped out to an 8-5 record to start the season but were unable to catch their stride after taking close losses to San Jose and Yuba Community College as well as being blown out at home by conference rival Contra Costa Community College.

“One of the bright spots of the season was when we won the Mendocino College Tournament,” Domenichelli said about the first half of the season. 

Going into 2023, the Mustangs caught fire and won their first seven games of the new year. In the second half of their season, the Stangs dropped only two regular season games, both of which were to the Yuba College 49ers. The Mustangs finished the regular season with a 21-7 record which was good enough to award them the tenth seed in the Men’s Basketball NorCal Regionals.

Point guard D’Montay Warner became the winningest player in LMC Men’s basketball history and received Bay Valley Conference All-Defense honors. Warner tallied up 46 wins in his two years playing for LMC and broke the all-time wins record on Feb.17 with a victory over Solano Community College.

Freshmen Devin Carson, Jason Zimmer, and Ramon Bailey each received Bay Valley Conference All-Conference honors as well as All-Freshman honors. Carson led the Mustangs in scoring, averaging 18 points a game. Zimmer and Bailey were not far behind and averaged 14 and 15 respectively. 

Forward Adegoke Adeyemi was named the Bay Valley Conference Defensive Player of the Year as well as named to the BVC All-Defense team. Adeyemi led the entire state of California in shots blocked with 104 and finished top 3 in rebounding with 329. 

Many of the Mustangs stars on this year’s team are freshmen who are set to return next season for the team. However, it will be difficult for the team to fill the void that will be left by defensive standouts Warner and Adeyemi.

The Men’s team won their opening round game against the College of the Siskiyous 90-80 but fell in their second round matchup against Chabot College, ending their playoff run. 

“After the game players and coaches were brought to tears. Not so much about losing the game but more about how much we all care and love one another. It was a special group of young men and I was so proud to be their coach,” Domenichelli said.