Photo Credit: Aaron Rosenblatt (The Daily Republic)

SACRAMENTO, Calif.- For many, the Independence Day holiday weekend marks the halfway point of Summer break.  The Cosumnes River men's basketball team returns from the holiday weekend having spent the past three weeks deep in their off-season workout regimen, however, as they prepare to make another run at the Big 8 Conference championship next season.  The Hawks, coming off a successful campaign that saw them finish 23-9 overall and make an appearance in the Nor Cal regional final, battled for the conference title until the last game of the regular season last year.  Coach James Giacomazzi and his staff are working hard this offseason to put their team in position to once again contend for a conference title.

Doing so will prove to be challenging, however, given the relative youth and inexperience of the roster.  The Hawks return only three players from last year's team, and will rely heavily on a group of talented freshmen to perform, in order to make a run at the Big 8 title.  Cosumnes River broke camp in June with 15 players on the roster eligible to compete next season.  Among those returning are forwards Semir Cahtarevic and David Straughter, and guard Mitchell Love.  Also returning are redshirt and grayshirt freshmen forwards Daiveon Leverett and Donald Mims.  Leverett played in three games last season before being sidelined with a hand injury for the rest of the year, and returns as a redshirt freshman, having been granted a medical hardship waiver.  Mims gray-shirted last season following preseason knee surgery, and is healthy for the 2014-15 campaign.

Joining these players will be a number of talented freshmen who will be counted on to perform for a Hawks team coming off one of their most successful seasons in program history.  Forwards Tyquan Neal and Daylon Potts enter Cosumnes River coming off a season at Edison High School in Fresno that saw the pair win a section title and make a deep run into the CIF State Championship playoffs.  Joining Love in the backcourt will also be three talented guards out of the Sac-Joaquin section in Elijah Calloway, KJ Daye and Phil Morgan.

Head Coach Giacomazzi is also pleased to announce the arrival of a group of freshmen guards, and a four-year transfer, to replace one of the most productive backcourts in the CCCAA last season.  Joining the Hawks this season will be sophomore Phil Randles, a transfer from Fresno Pacific.  Randles enters CRC following a freshman campaign where he appeared in 26 games for the Sunbirds as a true freshman, averaging 2.3 points and an assist per contest.  He prepped at Edison High School where he was a two-time MVP for the Tigers.  "(Randles) is a two-guard who we liked last year because of his ability to knock down the perimeter shot," said head coach Giacomazzi.  "And now a year later after transferring from a four-year school his body is better, his leadership skills have improved, his ball handling and shot selection have become more solid."

Also arriving this Summer are freshmen point guards Demoriaye Hart-Spikes (pictured right) and Joshua Johnson.  Hart-Spikes, a 5'11" guard from Fairfield High School, led the Falcons to a 25-8 overall record and a trip to the CIF Sac-Joaquin Section DIII finals.  "Demoriaye is a strong guard who we identified early during his high school career," said coach Giacomazzi.  "He's a very athletic player who makes his teammates better because he's such an unselfish and willing passer."  Johnson, a 5'10" guard from Cosumnes Oaks High School, will also be counted on for lead guard duties this season.  "(Johnson) is a point guard who handles the ball well and distributes the ball to his teammates at the right time," said coach Giacomazzi of the Stockton native.  "What really has impressed us about him though, is his footwork is already that of a college-level guard."  Guard Will White also joins the team from nearby Roseville High School, and will bring instant offense to the Hawks backcourt.  "Will is a guard who we think is going to develop into a quality collegiate player," said coach Giacomazzi.  "He is a well-rounded player who can score in a variety of ways.  He's a hard-worker so he'll have a nice career here at CRC."

Joining the Hawks in the backcourt this Fall will be Alaska native Trenton Anthony.  Anthony, a 5'10" combo guard out of state powerhouse Bartlett High School, is a high-energy player who will help the team in transition next season.  "(Anthony) is a blur on the basketball court;  he is a player who really excels in an up-tempo system," said assistant coach Nicholas Podesta.  "Trenton is a player who has won everywhere he has been, can shoot it from deep, and is a very skilled passer.  He's a great fit for what we're looking to do next season."

The CRC men's basketball team wraps up training camp next week, and the team will return to action next month, as pre-season conditioning begins with the Fall semester.  Head Coach Giacomazzi and his staff, however, close camp optimistic about the season ahead.  "This team is deeper than we were last season," said Giacomazzi in comparing this year's team to last season's 23-9 team.  "We're quicker than we were, and we'll have much more balance offensively.  We expect different people to step up every night."  Coach Giacomazzi also believes the team possesses much more defensive versatility.  The Hawks open up the 2014-15 season on the road at the San Jose City College tournament in November.

2014-15 COSUMNES RIVER MEN'S BASKETBALL ROSTER (as of 7/10/14)