Veteran Core Leads Young Squad into 2022-23 Season

BAKERSFIELD, Calif. – With seven newcomers joining six veteran Roadrunners, the Cal State Bakersfield men's basketball team is headed into the 2022-23 looking to return the program to its status as a contender in The Big West.

"I think the leadership of our returning guys has been really instrumental in helping our new guys and young guys make the adjustment," said Rod Barnes, who is heading into his 12th season as the Head Coach of the `Runners. "Our newcomers are talented and they will be making their impact on our rotation, but the pressure is on our returners to lead the way. The chemistry has been really good with both sides meshing together."

Barnes specifically credited veterans like juniors Kaleb Higgins and Antavion Collum and seniors Travis Henson and Cameron Smith for bringing in the newcomers and helping the team blend into one unit. Bakersfield also welcomed two new international students this season and Barnes mentioned Dalph Panopio, a native of Italy, has helped the pair of Lithuanians adjust to California and the `Runner program.

"It's really gone better than I probably anticipated, just the way this team has come together," Barnes continued. "We have a great bunch of kids. We all realize and understand that when you have people of great character and put them in situations to grow, they're more open to it."

In two and a half decades of coaching, the calling card of a Rod Barnes basketball program has always been grit, toughness, and defense. The 2022-23 edition of the `Runners will be no different, but Barnes also expressed that this squad has some unique skills that make it stand out.

"We have more guys across the board who are longer than we have been in the past. We're not as physical as we have been, but we're more skilled, especially our bigs. You also might see some bigger guards getting to the basket a little more, and that's a big change for us, but our effort, playing hard, and playing together, that won't change."

Barnes' squad has branded itself as Team Believe for years, but the team has been circling around a new motif this year: "up". The phrase actually came from sophomore Ivan Reynolds while the team was working out in the weight room. Reynolds was saying "I'm going up, we're going up" as he strained to lift a weighted bar and the concept resonated with Barnes, who feels the idea expands to more than just physical strength.

"After a couple of days of meditating on it, I told our team and our coaches that this season is about 'up'. Everything we do, we gotta go up. The culture, what we do, the way we go about business, it's gotta go up. We want to get up in the standings, obviously, but to do that, everything has to go out. Our belief, our mentality, it all has to have upward mobility."

The `Runners will begin their climb up the mountain that is the 2022-23 season in two days when CSUB host the University of Antelope Valley in an exhibition game on the Valley Strong Court. The Pioneers and `Runners will tipoff at 11 a.m. (PT) on Nov. 3 as part of CSUB's annual Education Day game with thousands of Kern County school children expected to be in attendance and rooting Bakersfield to victory.

Season tickets and Single-game tickets are available for CSUB basketball home events ahead of time at GoRunners.com/Tickets or by calling 661-654-BLUE. Fans who cannot attend the games in person can watch the `Runners live on ESPN+.

~GoRunners.com~

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Veteran Core Leads Young Squad into 2022-23 Season