Claremont, Calif. - The Pomona-Pitzer Men's Basketball team opens its 2011-12 season on Saturday when it travels to Division I Pepperdine for a 7 p.m. contest.
The Sagehens, who have captured nine SCIAC Championships in the last 18 years (most recently in 2008), will be looking to return to championship form after an off season a year ago, when it finished 9-16.
Pomona-Pitzer has often tested itself against Division I competition in the early part of the season, including a game against UC Riverside last year and one against San Diego State two years ago. The Sagehens will also play a second Division I opponent later this season, when it travels to Cal State Bakersfield on Dec. 30.
Head Coach Charles Katsiaficas is entering his 24th season at the Pomona-Pitzer helm, after previously serving as an assistant coach with the Sagehens under current San Antonio Spurs Head Coach Gregg Popovich. He also spent one year as interim head coach in 1986-87, making this officially his 25th season in charge of the program.
Pomona-Pitzer returns all five starters off of last year's team as it looks to return to the top half of the SCIAC standings again this season, although it will have to wait until December to have its full line-up in tact. Sophomore Jake Klewer (Tucson, Ariz.) will be one of the key players for the Sagehens in the 2011-12 season, after averaging 7.8 points and a team-best 7.7 rebounds during his freshman year last winter.
Senior point guard Evan Zahniser (Mercer Island, Wash.) is also returning after leading the team in assists last season with 50, while senior center Greg Wright (Oakland, Calif.) is also back after averaging 6.9 points and 5.2 rebounds last year. Xavyr Moss (Federal Way, Wash.) and Donald Okpalugo (Manchester, U.K.) are returning starters who will join the team in December after spending the fall semester studying abroad (Moss is in China, and Okpalugo is in South Africa).
Graduate student R.J. Maki (Claremont, Calif.) will have an interesting opening day on Saturday, as he also serves as the wide receivers coach on the Pomona-Pitzer Football team (he finished his football career last year as the program's all-time leading receiver). Maki will help coach the Sagehen Football team in their regular season finale at Claremont-Mudd-Scripps at 1 p.m. and then join the basketball team for its season opener as a player at 7 p.m. Maki averaged 3.2 points in 16 games played last year.
Junior guard Brett Lingle (Palm Desert, Calif.) is also a part of both teams, as he plays linebacker on the football team as well, but he will be unavailable to play during the Pepperdine game. Lingle appeared in seven games last year for the Sagehen Men's Basketball team.
After facing Pepperdine, Pomona-Pitzer will have a week off before its home opener on Saturday, Nov. 19 against St. Thomas (Minn.) at 5 p.m.
The Pepperdine game can be viewed live for free on the Waves' athletic website (www.pepperdinesports.com).
