NCAA Basketball Recap: Catching up with Sacramento Class of 2023
By Davis Brandi
In Honor of the NCAA Men's National Championship, let's check on the Men’s class of 2023 of the Sacramento area alumni playing on the College level.
Jayden Teat: University of Utah
The Capital Christian Product led the Cougars to the Sac-Joaquin Section D1 Semi-finals vs his former school Jesuit. Ultimately lost but had a successful senior year. Averaging 14.5 points, 4 rebounds and 3 assists per game with 48 field goal percentage. Teat, now with the Utah Utes in the Pac-12, has the opportunity to play in arguably, the toughest basketball conference in the Big-12 next year. This year Teat had his best game vs Bellarmine. Finishing with 8 points and 1 assist. The story is the 3 ball with his 2/3 shooting display beyond the arc. Teat and the Utes reached the NIT Final Four but fell to Indiana State 100-90. Teat’s major is undecided
Varick Lewis: Long Beach State
The Pride of Monterey Trail, Varick Lewis had the best team season of all these players, as Lewis and the Beach made the NCAA Tournament. Despite the first round exit vs Arizona, Long beach had had a very successful season. They were the number 4 seed in the Big West Conference tournament. Yet Long Beach upset No.1 seed UC Irvine in the semifinals. Then secured the conference Title with a 74-70 win vs No.2 seed UC Davis. Which punched their ticket to march madness. Lewis had minimal minutes, averaging 5.8 minutes and 2.3 points per game. Lewis’s highest scoring game was against Life Pacific with 12 points. With a small sample size from one of the Mustangs best players in program history, I’m excited to see Lewis continue to grow in Long Beach. Lewis’s major is Business.
Andrej Stojakovic; Stanford University/Transfer Portal
Mcdonald's All-American, 4 star recruit, 3rd ranked recruit in California, the accolades keep coming for Stojakovic. The Jesuit star had a great high school career and made the best jump to college hoops from the class of 2023. Starting 10 of his 32 games played, Stojakovic averaged 8 points, 3 rebounds, 40% from the field, and 32% beyond the arc. Stojakovic had a strong February with his career high scoring game vs USC and fellow All-Americans Isaiah Collier and Bronny James. He contributed to the Cardinal win with 20 Points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists, and 57 3P%, scoring 4-7 beyond the arc. Unfortunately, the Stanford Cardinal had a disappointing 14-18 record, 8-12 conference record, and recently fired their head coach. The Freshman has just recently entered the Transfer Portal. Stojakovic chose the Cardinal over UCLA, Oregon, and Texas.
Mike Wilson: Sacramento State
Wilson was not recruited until following his stellar senior season, the Dragons Captain led his team to a section championship win to restore a historic basketball program in Oak Park. His Breakout campaign and sharp shooting landed him a spot on the Sacramento State roster. Wilson’s season high game with 8 points and 2-3 at the 3 point game. Wilson played 17 of their 34 games, averaging 9 minutes. Wilson has proved himself before and can do it again.
Yaqub Mir: UC San Diego
Yaqub Mir had one of the craziest and electric playoff performances for the Granite Bay Grizzlies his senior year. Starting in the Section Playoffs, Mir’s Touch in the Clutch game winner in the SemiFinals empowered the 13th seed Grizzlies over the 1 seed Rio Americano, to reach the Section Championship. After their finals loss to Whitney 61-56, the grizzlies earned a 16th seed in the state tournament. Yet Mir once again led the Grizzlies to upset the No.1 seed Clayton Valley Charter 45-44. Even though they fell in the second round. Mir defied the odds carrying the grizzlies in a crazy Cinderella season. Mir redshirted for the Tritons this year, but will play for a very successful program next year. Mir is majoring in Data Science.
Jermaine Haliburton and Jalen Glenn: City College of San Francisco
The Inderkum Twin Tigers Jermaine Haliburton and Jalen Glenn ride or die together as they stay in the same jersey in San Francisco. Both Players got minutes the entire season as important bench players for the rams. Glenn averaged 6.5 points, 4 rebounds, under 2 assists, and 28 3P%. Haliburton averaged 8 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists, 42 FG%, and 38 3P%. With the amount of playing time they’ve already been giving, the future is bright.
Beni Njomo, Sami Tekesta, Evan Cannon, Miles Lake: Peninsula College
Lots of Sacramento ties up in Port Angeles, Washington. Head coach of the Pirates Bryce Jacobson served as an assistant coach at William Jessup in Rocklin. He joined the Warriors from 2021-2023. As he left Sacramento, he brought 4 freshmen with him. Beni Njomo and Sami Tekesta, the star duo from Lincoln High School. Miles Lake from Rio Americano, and Franklin guard Evan Cannon who graduated in 2022 but his first year in Port Angeles.Njomo saw the floor most in the start of the year. Njomo played 16 games, averaged 10 points, 47 FG% and 32 3P%. Tekesta listed as a redshirt, Cannon had limited minutes and Lake only took the floor in the month of january.
Kiku Parker: Seward County Community College
The Young Bull of Del Paso Heights. He went from fighting for eligibility to play for the Grant Pacers. Then joined the pacers to fight the race of the competitive Metro League Title. Kiku was a monster his senior season, and he’s taken his talents to Nebraska. Parker sat this season for the Seward County Saints as a Redshirt. The Saints finished 8-23, fingers crossed Parker can change that next season.
There are more Players not mentioned in this article, but we wish all players from Sacramento our support and good luck for next season.
