Excitement is filling the air, with expectations running high. One can almost hear the cheers of the crowd from the Red Sea in Chase Gymnasium. Biolans witness firsthand the squeaks of shoes on the hardwood and the swoosh of the net. That’s right: basketball season is among us.

After last season’s success — finishing fourth in the PacWest Conference and ranking third in the 2024-25 preseason PacWest poll — the Biola Eagles’ men’s basketball team is looking strong.

Senior theology student Casey Capo, a 6-foot-7-inch veteran player forward, remarked that the majority of the team are veteran players, with a few new transfer graduates in addition to freshmen.

“We’ve all been together for three years now, so it’s a real experienced group,” said Capo.

Longtime men’s basketball head coach Dave Holmquist emphasized how the Eagles won several big games at the end of the season, such as Capo’s buzzer-beater against Azusa Pacific, which impacted the overall results.

“We’re just gonna build on the success we had last year, and I think it’s really gonna help us go on this next season,” said Capo.

NEW YEAR

This year’s team consists of five new additions on a 16-man roster. Last season, the team had more depth on the bench with the forward (4) and center positions (5), focusing more on a set offense. This year, they are not as deep at the 4s and 5s, resulting in the team working on developing depth for the inside positions.

“We have four guys starting between the height of six foot and six-two,” said Capo. “So this year, we’re gonna be a lot more of a run-and-gun style team and very fast-paced.”

As a result, the team is doing more full-court drills, working on moving the ball fast, getting down the court fast, using less motion offense and more playing on the perimeter. The coaches are getting on, running and playing that space.

“It’s definitely a different style of Biola basketball than what most will be accustomed to, but I think … part of it is just our personnel,” said Capo. “And you know, I think we’re gonna have a lot of success playing a lot faster this year.”

TALENT

The Eagles have a wide range of talent.

“Talent is always a huge part of a team. We have good talent and so you just work on the fundamentals of the game,” said Holmquist.

Six-foot-eight-inch power forward Tyus Parrish-Tillman, a junior communication studies student, was recently injured, and coach Holmquist considers this a big loss.

“We had big plans for Tyrus this year,” said Holmquist. “He was going to be a very good player for us, so we’ve had to adjust to that.”

Two players to keep your eyes out for are senior business student Daniel Esparza and graduate leadership & innovation student Julien Franklin.

Six-foot-two-inch guard Esparza has been all-conference two years in a row. He does a great job leading the team and really getting the Eagles into the offense.

Franklin, a six-foot-seven-inch forward, is a new addition for the Eagles as their “sixth man,” Capo remarked. Franklin played at Oregon State and Cal Poly and has a ton of division experience. He can shoot and has a nice mid-range shot. Capo considers him an “elite player.”

POWER 

This season, the Eagles are stacked with guards.

“We have a team who can really shoot the ball and score the ball,” said Capo. “For that matter, we just have guys who can put the ball in the basket and who can get by their guys to the rim.”

However, with 11 guards on the roster, rebounding has become a primary focus for the team. Capo emphasized the importance of rebounding, given their guard-heavy lineup.

“A lot of guards means we have to be better on the rebounding side of things,” said Capo. “And so we have our guard-heavy team, so we’re really gonna have to focus on rebounding, crashing the glass, boxing out, playing physical, and so I think that’s what we’re really gonna have to focus on this year.”

Holmquist is confident with the team’s ball handling.

“A number of guys can score well on our team, so we have some good scoring potential. Do big swings, and then hopefully, our defense will be a strength.”

While the team is focused on rebounding, they’re also committed to offensive execution.

“We talk a lot about ball movement and shot selection on offense,” said Holmquist. “Of course, the better your players, the better you are at all those things.”

Holmquist also explained the team’s approach to fast breaks and shot selection.

“If we get something off the break, we want to take it. If we don’t, then we want to be patient and get a good shot,” Holmquist said. “What we won’t do is sacrifice defense to get more offense … I believe that at the end of the year, teams that do well and win championships, [and] get the playoffs, always play good defense.”

BROTHERHOOD

Since the majority of the team are returning veteran players, the team has the benefit of knowing one another’s strengths and weaknesses. The team is close on and off the court.

“Having such a good team and so many players who can score the ball is making sure everybody gets the ball and is playing selflessly,” said Capo.

A lot of teams struggle with players who are concerned about themselves, and the Eagles have a lot of guys who care about each other and are not just about themselves.

“I think just the relationships we’ve built off the court, there’s so much selflessness,” said Capo. “I think people don’t really care who gets the glory and who’s the leading scorer, so I think that’s really going to be something that needs to be emphasized. And if we can really play selflessness.”

GET EXCITED

When Eagles take the court, they try to represent Christ.

“It’s really just going to take selfless basketball, us trusting each other, us playing physical and rebounding,” said Capo.

Heading into the 2024-25 season, the Eagles are anticipated to build on last year’s success with a strong foundation and promising roster. After a standout season, they are looking to capitalize on their momentum and continue their upward trajectory, with key players returning and new talent set to make an impact. Fans hope the team’s chemistry and growth will carry them even further this year, with high expectations for a deeper playoff run and potential championship contention.

“If we can rebound the ball, and if we play selfless, if we can defend, I think there’s no doubt that we’ll be up there competing for a conference championship and a playoff spot making a deep run,” said Capo.