Nov. 7, 2012
USDvsSDCC 
GAME #1: The USD Toreros open up their 2012-13 campaign this Friday when they host San Diego Christian College in a 7:05 p.m. contest at the JCP (5,100 capacity).
TICKET INFORMATION: Tickets for home games can be purchased in advance by calling the JCP ticket office (619) 260-7550, or online at www.usdtoreros.com. Single game tickets are $16 (sideline), $14 (adult baseline) and $8 (youth baseline, ages 4-12). For additional information on season tickets, family four packs, group tickets, or premium game tickets, call the ticket office.
SERIES RECORD: This is just the third meeting between USD and San Diego Christian College with the Toreros owning a 2-0 series edge. Last year the Toreros downed SDCC 86-63 behind Cameron Miles 13 points. USD first played the Hawks during the 2008-09 campaign and came away with a convincing 82-48 victory at the JCP.
RADIO & INTERNET: All USD home and away games will be broadcast live on XX 1090 AM with Andy Masur (6th season) bringing you all the action; his pre-game show will air 15 minutes prior to tip-off. A audio-video feed for home games is also available for free of charge at www.usdtoreros.com.
WEST COAST CONFERENCE PRESEASON COACHES POLL: The Toreros have been picked to finish 5th by WCC head coaches in the nine team league. Gonzaga was picked 1st with 63 points (7 1st place votes). The Zags were followed by BYU (1), 55 points; Saint Mary's (1), 52 points; LMU, 37 points; USD, 36 points; Santa Clara, 35 points; San Francisco, 19 points; Portland, 15 points; Pepperdine, 12 points. Bill Grier (6TH YEAR): Coach Bill Grier (Oregon, 1990) is in his sixth season at the helm of the USD program... Last season's squad finished 13-18, but won 4 of its final 6 regular-season WCC games and then advanced to the quarterfinals of the WCC Basketball Championships before falling to BYU by just 5 points..
TRIO OF SENIORS EXPECTED TO MAKE KEY CONTRIBUTIONS: Three of the sixteen players on this year's roster enter their fourth and final season with the Toreros - 6'9" forward-center Chris Manresa (Rancho Santa Margarita, CA), 6'5" forward Ken Rancifer (Oakland, CA), and 6'1" guard Cameron Miles (Dallas, TX). Manresa, who started 7 of 30 games he appeared in, was the team's top rebounder a year ago with his 5.9 rebounds per game average, and ranked third in scoring at 8.8 points per game. He also had a team-best 52.7 shooting percentage from the field. Rancifer, who started 24 of 31 games, was usually assigned to guarding the opponent's top offensive threat. He chipped in with 7.5 points per game and 3.6 rebounds. Miles turned in his best collegiate season to date and with his explosive quickness and athleticism should give the Toreros quality minutes once again.
ENTIRE STARTING FIVE RETURNS: Five Toreros that started 24 or more games a year ago return to this year's squad. Joining Ken Rancifer in this group is 6'11" junior forward Dennis Kramer (Encinitas, CA), and a trio of sophomores - 5'7" point guard Christopher Anderson (Anaheim Hills, CA), 6'0" guard Johnny Dee (Vista, CA), and 6'10" center Simi Fajemisin (Lynwood, WA). The Toreros went with an all-freshman backcourt a year ago with Anderson and Dee. Dee, a 2012-13 Preseason All-WCC pick, led the Toreros in scoring with his 13.7 points per game average, and proved he was a true three-point specialist by converting 79-of-187 attempts (42.2%) from beyond the three-point arc. He poured in 30 points in the team's 76-54 win over Pepperdine in the opening game of the 2012 West Coast Conference Basketball Championships, and totaled eight games with 22 or more points. He was named to the West Coast Conference All-Freshman Team; was a WCC honorable mention pick; and a Freshman All-America selection by CollegeInsider.com. Anderson proved to be one of the most exciting and fearless players throughout the WCC as he ranked second to Dee in scoring (9.0 ppg) while leading the team in both assists (156; 5.0 apg) and steals (63; 2.0 spg). Kramer, who started 28-of-31 games, just kept getting better and better as the season progressed and finished with averages of 8.5 points per game, 4.4 rebounds and a team-best 36 blocked shots. Fajemisin started 26-of-31 games but averaged just 15.4 minutes per game while struggling much of the season with foul trouble.
REST OF RETURNING CLASS: Rounding out USD's class of returning lettermen is 6'9" forward John Sinis (Patras, Greece) and 6'3" guard Nick Kerr (San Diego, CA). Sinis appeared in all 31 games and chipped in with averages of 4.0 points and 2.9 rebounds. Kerr came off the bench in a reserve role as a zone buster and saw action in 15 games.
OUTSTANDING CLASS OF RECRUITS ROUND OUT ROSTER: The Torero coaching staff added four players that will improve the team's athleticism and depth in 2012-13 - 6'2" junior guard Mike Davis (Houston, TX; Texas Tech transfer), 6'6" freshman forward Trey Guidry (Houston, TX), 6'9" forward-center Jito Kok (Wageningen, Netherlands) and 6'5" freshman guard Duda Sanadze (Tbilisi, Georgia). Davis, a player the USD coaching staff recruited back in his high school playing days, should fill in nicely for the lone Torero that exhausted his eligibility from a year ago - senior guard Darian Norris (8.3 ppg). Davis, who has two years of experience playing in the Big 12, can play all three perimeter positions and has good scoring instincts and can really distribute the basketball. Guidry gives the Toreros a wing that has the athleticism to play above the rim and the ability to attack the rim. Kok is a very athletic interior player that can change the game with his shot blocking ability. Sanadze, who potentially will have to sit out this season, can really score the ball and has tremendous range on his jump shot. This past summer he ranked 2nd among all players in the U20 European Championships for the men's A-Division.
SCOUTING THE SAN DIEGO CHRISTIAN COLLEGE HAWKS: The Hawks (0-1), from nearby El Cajon, California, have played two games, with their season opening loss to Simpson College (95-89) counting on their schedule... A trio of Hawks scored 18 points (Kevin Dawson, Rafael Rodriguez, Kwaminique Brandon)... They also dropped an 83-72 decision to NCAA Division I program UC Riverside (Brandon, 16 points) that does not count on their record... Second year coach Tim Cook returns two starters from last year's 8-17 club - guards Rafael Rodriguez (7.2 ppg) and Kevin Dawson (7.6 ppg).
