BAKERSFIELD, Calif. – Next up are the four Juniors on the 2024-25 roster for Cal State Bakersfield. This group features one returner and three newcomers that have made an immediate impact early in the 2024-25 season.
 
`Runner Juniors
 
-#0 CJ Hardy (Newcomer)

• 6-foot-3 guard
• From Gardena, Calif.
• A 2021 graduate from El Segundo High School 
• Transfer from West LA
  • Part of the 2023 National Signing Day Class with teammate Cameron Clark
• Averaged an impressive 20.8 points per game while shooting 52.3% from the field in 2023-24
  • Also averaged 5.1 rebounds and 5.0 assists per contest for the Wildcats
• Helped the Wildcats to a League Championship in 2023-24
• Earned the League Map Conference MVP Californian 2024 JUCO State Player of the Year
• Ranked 10th in the 2024 jucorecruiting.com Top 100 
• Coach Barnes on CJ: "A very athletic guard, speed and athleticism are some of his advantages… I think CJ is finding ways to be one of the players on our team that is well liked, and you want that at the point guard position. He is a guy that can shoot the ball but also, he can facilitate our offense. A player that we like to say is very active on both offense and defense; he has been a real pleasure to coach. I think he has a lot of improvement and growth in his game, we are really excited about him.”

-#3 Corey Stephenson (Returner)

• 6-foot-6 guard/forward
• From Bessemer, Ala.
• Played in 30 of 32 games with the Roadrunners last year while starting in 18
  • Earned his first start on Jan. 11 at UC Santa Barbara and did not exit the starting lineup after that
• Averaged 15.9 minutes, 6.7 points, 3.0 rebounds, and 0.6 steals per game
• Had eight games scoring 10+ points or more
• Had a career night on Jan. 18 versus UC Riverside scoring 21 points (7-11 FG, 1-1 3FG, 6-8 FT), grabbing 11 rebounds, an assist, and a steal
• Coach Barnes on Corey: "Probably our most improved player, the work he has put in from last Spring after the season to throughout the Summer and the Fall is amazing. He has improved his jump shot… last year he played with a lot of power and explosiveness, and he is doing it once again. He is a hard guy to guard because he can shoot his jump shot, drive strong, and even added the three-point shot to his game… Corey is a guy that every day you get to the gym he is looking to work, he has a great smile on his face, he loves to play the game. Because of that he has shown great leadership and sets the tone to our new guys what we are about; working hard and playing with toughness and grit. I think he is going to have a fantastic season.”

-#21 Jemel Jones (Newcomer)

• 6-foot-5 guard/forward
• From Chicago
• A 2020 graduate of Dwight D. Eisenhower High School
• Transfer from South Suburban College
• Put together a great body of work prior to committing to Cal State Bakersfield
  • Earned 2023-24 NJCAA II National Player of the Year, MVP of the Midwest District A Tournament, All-Tournament team at the NJCAA National Championship Tournament, Region IV-A Player of the Year, NABC Two Year College Player of the Year, and earned back-to-back nods as NJCAA II All-American in the 2022-23 season with Olive-Harvey and in 2023-24 with South Suburban
• Helped the Bulldogs to a 34-3 record in 2023-24
• Averaged 33.6 points, 9.8 rebounds, and 5.6 assists per contest
• Had a season high 56 points versus Bosco Institute, eleven days later scored 51 points versus Black Hawk College-Moline
• Finished first in defensive rebounds (273), total rebounds (362), assists (207), steals (122), points (1,245), and points per game (33.6)
  • Has a career total of 1,999 points
• Coach Barnes on Jemel: "A scorer. He can put the ball in the hole, and he is a competitor. A lot of times you have guys that can score the ball but do not compete overall in what they are doing. I think he has not found his stride yet, but he has proven in our practices and games that he is a guy that can score the basketball. He is still growing, as far as his overall game, but I think he is handling it well. I just think as the games continue to come, people will continue to see him get better and better."

-#22 Cameron Clark (Newcomer)

• 6-foot-10 forward/center 
• From Gwinnett, GA
• A 2022 graduate from Grayson High School in Loganville, GA
• Transfer from College of the Sequoias
  • Part of the 2023 National Signing Day Class with teammate CJ Hardy
  • As a freshman, appeared in 31 games averaging 7.5 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 0.7 assists per game
• Played in 33 games averaging 6.9 points, 5.9 rebounds, and 1.1 assists per game in the 2023-24 season
• Earned First Team All-Conference, First Team All-Defense, and All-State Honors
• Earned an Honorable Mention nod in the 2024 JUCO Top 100 according to jucorecruiting.com 
• Coach Barnes on Cameron: "A versatile forward that I think is developing, playing two positions right now at the four and the five. He is a long player, that can play inside and outside; but I think when you got a new player that comes in and you play him at a couple of positions, it can take them a little more time. But I think he is in the developmental stage of helping us. He is more of a defensive player that is improving on his offense… He is a great kid and a consistent worker; you can count on him every day to show up. As time goes on, we will see great things from him.”

 
Up Next on the Schedule

• Versus UC Irvine
• Thursday, December 5th @ 7 PM
• Irvine, Calif. / Bren Events Center
• Tickets available at: GoRunners.com/Tickets
• Watch on ESPN+