This past season, the Biola men’s basketball team opened the court to 10 new players, making up over half the team. And while their record did not reflect their best abilities, the players came together as a team and learned valuable lessons that will be utilized in the seasons to come.
Head basketball coach Dave Holmquist commented on how this team is different from others he has coached because of the abundance of new players.
“We have 10 new ones, which I think is more than we’ve ever had,” Holmquist said. “We had six players returning, and then brought in 10 new ones.”
Despite the team being made up of mostly newer players, Holmquist said how he saw the team form a new dynamic and grow together.
“I think a lot of good relationships have been formed at a variety of ages. We only have one senior on this team, and so we have a number of freshmen, sophomores, juniors, but it’s been a hard-working group,” Holmquist said. “We’ve had our ups and downs, but they’ve stayed with it and supported each other, and it’s been a real nice group to work with.”
Each year, while recruiting new players, Holmquist noted that the coaches make it a priority to recruit players who demonstrate good character, this team was no exception.
“We recruited high character people, good teammates, and so a lot of the process occurred naturally, just because we had people who wanted to be good teammates from the outset and work hard and they had to get to know each other,” Holmquist said. “But that happened rather quickly because they have a lot in common.”
This season was the first season since the 2018-19 season that the team did not make it to the PacWest Conference or NCAA Division II Men’s Basketball Championship. While this is discouraging, junior business administration major Facundo Aranda noted how the team still had success throughout the season despite what the scoreboard showed.
“Even if the record doesn’t fully show it, one of our biggest successes was the relationships we built as a team. We created a good environment where everyone could compete and grow together,“ Aranda said.
Every season will bring its own challenges and difficulties, and Aranda believes that what they learned this season will teach them how to carry out these lessons in the future.
“Throughout the season, we had to change habits, learn new ones, and grow from our mistakes. We are always trying to get better, both as individuals and as a team, not just on the court but also spiritually,” Aranda said. “Even through the losses, we tried to show that in how we acted, how we treated each other, and how we carried ourselves every day. In practice, in games, and in class, we wanted to represent that and stay consistent with who we are.”
Reflecting on this past season, Holmquist noted that, despite wins and losses, the team still demonstrated what Biola basketball represents.
“I’m proud of this team, I think it’s a bunch of good people, and I feel fortunate to coach them,” Holmquist said. “Our record isn’t as good as it’s been the last few years, but in terms of effort and caring level, it’s been great.”
