The MSJC men's basketball team will begin their 2021-22 season this weekend when they travel to the Frank Garcia Classic hosted by College of the Desert for games on Friday and Saturday.
The Eagles who like the majority of teams in the state missed the 2020-21 season due to the Pandemic, are coming off a runner-up conference finish and play-off appearance in 2020. MSJC finished with an 11-5 record in the Inland Empire Athletic Conference in 2020 and return four players from that team.
Mekhi Hill (Vista Murrieta HS) returns for his sophomore season after earning Honorable Mention All-Conference status as a freshman when he averaged 6.4 points and 4.3 rebounds a game. Hill played in all 29 of the Eagles' games in 19-20 making 22 starts. He had a career high 17 on January 15th against College of the Desert. Hill started all but one of MSJC's IEAC contests as a freshman. Ethan Bell (Redlands/Citrus Valley HS), a 6'1 point guard also returns after solid contributions in his freshman campaign. Bell averaged 3.3 points and 2.2 assists as a freshman as he played in every MSJC contest throughout the year. He made 9 starts during the season and had his best offensive game against Copper Mountain on January 25th when he scored 12 points. Danilo Da Silva (Redlands HS) is the Eagles' third returning player who saw action in every game his freshman year. Da Silva averaged 5 points per game through 29 contests as the team posted an overall record of 15-14. Isaiah Williams (Perris HS) was also a member of the Eagles 19-20 squad appearing in 16 games throughout the year. The offensively talented 6'7 local product came on at the end of the season saving his best game for the post season as he scored 13 points and grabbed 12 rebounds in a play-off loss to West LA on February 26th.
Josh Hardiman (Tahquitz HS) also is a returner of sorts for MSJC as the former All-CIF performer rejoins the team after a brief stint during the 2018-19 season. Hardiman will be expected to contribute in a big roll this season for the Eagles on both ends of the floor. Anton Mozga (Riverside/Notre Dame HS) rounds out the Eagle sophomore class and comes to the team after playing his freshman season at Masters University in 19-20. Mozga was an All-CIF selection in high school and played in 28 of Masters 31 games during his freshman year as the Mustangs qualified for the NAIA National Tournament.
The MSJC freshmen class for 2021-22 has five former all-league high school players from around the Inland Empire as well as a point guard from Houston, Texas.
Isaiah Skinner (Palm Desert/Xavier Prep HS), Isaiah Shirley (Perris/Orange Vista HS), Jeremiah Mitchell (Moreno Valley/ValleyView HS), and Kyle Render (Riverside/North HS) will all look to provide scoring punch from the wing during their freshmen campaigns. Skinner helped Xavier Prep to a 23-9 record during his senior season in 2020 as he earned All-CIF honors after averaging 20.4 points and 9 rebounds a game for the Saints. Shirley and Render were also big time bucket makers during their high school careers as Shirley poured in 18.4 points per game as a senior and Render scored over 16 while grabbing more than 6 boards a contest. Mitchell who will spend time both on the wing and at the point guard position passed out nearly 4 assists per game as a high school senior as well as leading his team in scoring at 15 points per game. Adrian Ludwig, a 6'7 forward who spent time at both Hemet High and Hemet West Valley will look to add depth in the front court for the Eagles this season. He was also a double figure scorer during his senior high school season and pulled in close to 9 rebounds a game. Cameron Durr a 5'8 point guard from Provision Prep in Houston rounds out the roster. Durr is a dynamic left handed scorer who will look to add some quickness to the back court.
The Eagles first game at the Garcia Classic will be against Cerritos at 5 pm on Friday the 5th of November. MSJC will be right back in action the next afternoon when they take on LA Southwest at 1 pm with both games taking place at College of the Desert. A trip to Cuyamaca College the following weekend on November 12th and 13th will see the Eagles take on Cuyumaca and Imperial Valley before they play their home opener. MSJC's 21-22 home opener will be Wednesday November 17th when they take on MiraCosta at 6 pm.
Click the link below for a full MBB 21-22 schedule