Shoes are squeaking on the hardwood in the venerable gym, nets are popping and balls are bouncing once again. College basketball season is coming and the Southwestern College Jaguars look to rebound from a tough 6-21 season.
Last season the Jaguars averaged almost 10 turnovers per game. Coaches and players pledge to decrease that number this year. Coaches also hoped for less turnover on the roster. Head Coach John Consentino said 2017 was marred by injuries and ineligibilities to a lot of key players.
“Last year’s team was an anomaly, an apparition, whatever you want to call it,” he said. “This year we are looking for a big turnaround as far as the record is concerned.”
SWC also struggled on the defensive end of the floor, allowing 76.6 ppg. Lack of size and a legitimate shot blocker were problems last year.
“A metaphor for football would be, you have great receivers, great quarterback and no offensive line,” said Cosentino. “When they had big guys, we could not stop them. If you got inside the paint against us, you got a rebound or a bucket. You cannot win like that. It all starts with defense.”
After starting the season 3-8, the team has struggled, but the coaches were aware that there may be growing pains. With a team composed mostly of new faces, the Jaguars floor a team with limited college basketball experience. Assistant coach Anthony Cosentino said maturity will be the biggest challenge for the team.
“We only have five sophomores and a majority of our freshmen are true freshmen,” he said. “We already have a tight-knit team, but I think adversity, as the season goes along, will make them tighter and better.”
Team captain Emilio Arellano and freshman point guard Jose Serrano will look to lead the charge for the Jaguars this winter. Arellano, who plays as forward, was last year’s leading scorer and the most consistent player.
Assistant coach Demetrius Cosentino said Arellano is the spine of the team.
“He is the fiercest competitor, the most consistent scorer, and the most consistent rebounder,” he said.
Arellano’s stats on the season back up his coach’s faith. He is averaging 14.6 points and 6.8 rebounds per game. He used this past offseason to work on his outside shooting to make himself more of an all-around offensive threat.
“I think I was faster than the bigger guys they had guarding me last year,” he said. “When I took them outside they were slower than me. Now they also have to respect the jump shot.”
Freshman forward Jose Serrano, native of Venezuela and a top prep player at Balboa School in San Diego, is averaging 12.1 points and 6.1 rebounds per game.
Arellano and Serrano have developed a unique chemistry on the court, and both play key roles for this year’s team, said Demetrius Cosentino.
“(Arellano) and Jose Serrano have been huge for us rebounding wise, he said. “One of our goals is to out-rebound the other team every game. They have both really led by example every day.”
Arellano said he and Serrano hope to lead their team to late season victories.
“We have already played a few showcases,” he said. “The chemistry me and Jose have is really good. When we are on the same team, we are almost unstoppable.”
Last year’s team lacked a legitimate starting point guard last season, but that does not seem to be the case this year. Freshmen Darryl Wilson, Quincy Ferebee and Kai Raboncho-Smith have brought stability, said Demetrius Cosentino. He said the young guards are confident and capable playmakers.
“Being able to have that many guards on the floor together opens up a lot of opportunities,” he said. “We can have multiple playmakers at once.”
Ferebee is averaging 9.1 points and 4.1 assists per game thus far, and has a fan in Arellano.
“Ferebee is going to make great plays for us this year,” Arellano said. “As soon as he grabs the ball, he is so confident with it.”
Youth and inexperience hurt the Jaguars in the home opener against Saddleback College, ranked #3 in California.
SWC lost by a score of 89-65. Though the team was able to keep the score within single digits in the first half, it fell victim to the experience of the Gaucho squad. Saddleback was able to get open looks and knock down shots, while going on runs to get separation on the scoreboard and come away with the victory. Demetrius Cosentino pointed to a lack of maturity as a major factor in the outcome.
“Saddleback was a really experienced and sophomore-dominated squad, while we only have five sophomores,” he said. “It is tough when they are experienced and hitting a lot of shots, getting what they want. We are young and we are going to get better.”
The Jaguars will be in action again at home on December 19th against the Palomar Comets, but before then will play away games and tournaments that could help them gain wisdom as a team.
