TOLES-BEY OFF TO SAC-TOWN

The State Player of the Year from Fresno City College is off to Sacramento State.

The Sacramento State men’s basketball program added its fifth and sixth players of the 2009-10 recruiting class Friday after signing point guard Sultan Toles-Bey and guard/forward David Norris, it was announced today by Hornet head coach Brian Katz. Both Toles-Bey and Norris will enroll at Sacramento State as juniors in the fall.

Toles-Bey, a 5-foot-10, 185-pound native of Compton, Calif., spent the last three years (redshirt in 2007-08) at Fresno City College.

Last year, he was named the state co-player of the year and first team all-conference after leading Fresno City to a Central Valley Conference championship, a 34-1 overall record and a perfect 12-0 league mark. Toles-Bey averaged 17.4 points, 5.1 assists, 2.2 rebounds and 2.3 steals per game while shooting 44.9 percent (198-441) from the field, 43.6 percent (113-259) from the three-point line and 78.7 percent (100-127) from the free throw line. Fresno City won its first 34 games of the season and was ranked No. 1 in the state heading into the state tournament, but lost in the quarterfinals to Riverside Community College, 71-67.

Also during the 2008-09 season, Toles-Bey had 13 games with at least 20 points, including two games with better than 30 points. He led the team in scoring, assists, field goals made, three-pointers made and free throws made. As a freshman in 2006-07, he played with current Hornet Mike Marcial in the Rams’ backcourt and helped the team to a 2007 California Community College State Tournament championship. That season, he averaged 8.3 points, 2.4 assists and 1.8 steals per game while shooting 44.5 percent (117-263) from the floor, 41.1 percent (51-124) from the three-point line and 71.2 percent (47-66) from the free throw line. He was named to the all-tournament team at the state tournament after averaging 17.7 points during the team’s final three games. Spanning parts of his freshman (2006-07) and sophomore (2008-09) seasons, Toles-Bey helped lead Fresno City to 47 consecutive victories.

Toles-Bey prepped at Los Angeles’ King Drew Magnet High School.

“Sultan is a proven winner with a very good feel and understanding of the game,” Katz said. “He makes the game very easy for his teammates, and is an excellent perimeter shooter and scoring point guard.”

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RAMS’ BATS LEAVE HAGINS, DEVILS FEELING BLUE

By Andrew Marden
VSP Senior Writer

FRESNO, Calif – Bradin Hagins isn’t used to losing.

In fact, Merced College’s sophomore pitcher, a first team all-Central Valley Conference selection from a year ago, hadn’t lost at all in 2009.

Until Thursday.
“He’s one of the best in the country, certainly the best in the league,” said Fresno City head coach Ron Scott after watching his team beat the Blue Devils 10-4 Thursday night, knocking Hagins out in the 7th inning. “I’m pleased. He was throwing 94 miles per hour.”

He’s no longer undefeated, though.

Hagins’ record is still impressive: 9-1. He was charged with nine of the Rams’ ten runs, but his ERA is only 2.58. That’s because in his previous 14 outings, the native of Denair, CA had only given up a total of 13 runs.

“From the first inning on, we got the bats going. We got in Hagins’ head real fast,” said FCC’s Brandon King, whose 2-RBI triple in the bottom of the fourth inning broke a 3-3 tie.

“I’m happy about that…He’s just another pitcher, he’s not anybody special.”

The Kansas City Royals respectfully disagree. They drafted Hagins in the 37th round last year.

“It doesn’t surprise me we hit Hagins,” said Scott, adding, “We’re playing really good baseball. We’re playing as good as we have in a long long time.”

Fresno City (29-11, 17-3 CVC) improved its win streak to five in a row and moved to within a game of first-place Merced (32-7, 18-2 CVC).

“It was a great win for us,” said FCC catcher Zach Sullivan, who contributed four hits including a two-run homerun. “We just need to wait for them to lose.”

“Hopefully we play them again,” says Scott, whose team is 2-2 against the Blue Devils this season. “It’ll be in the state championship.”

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SCOTT GETS 750TH CAREER WIN AT FCC

Fresno City’s head baseball coach reaches another milestone.

By Woody Wilk
FCC Media Relations-

By shutting out the Taft Cougars 12-0 in Taft Tuesday, the Fresno City Rams baseball team (25-11, 13-3 CVC) gave Head Coach Ron Scott career win No. 750. Scott, now in his 21st year at FCC, is No. 7 on the all-time list among California community college baseball coaches. His record is 750-254 with 15 conference titles.

Winning pitcher Robert Alcala (7-2, 6-0) went six innings, allowed two hits and struck out five. Troy Marks pitched three innings allowed only one hit and earned the save. Brandon King and Paul Anaya had three hits apiece while Mike Bakula was 2-for-2 with a homer and two RBI to lead the Rams’ 19-hit attack.

In gaining victory No. 25, this marked the 24th consecutive season that an FCC baseball team has won at least 25 games.

Currently in second place of the Central Valley Conference, the Rams are three games behind Merced (30-6, 17-1) which has the CVC bye this week. The Rams host Taft Thursday night at 6 p.m. in game two of this week’s series. FCC will visit Taft on Saturday at 1 p.m.

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THE FRESNO CITY AZTECS

Rams pitchers Steven Moranda and Robert Alcala will both play for Tony Gwynn at San Diego State.

By George Takata
VSP Senior Writer-

One is a 6′2″ 195 pound soft spoken right hander from Buchanan, the other a 5′10″ 170 pound outgoing left hander from Liberty-Madera Ranchos. Steven Moranda and Robert Alcala couldn’t be more different, from the way they pitch to their demeanor. But they’ll both continue their careers together in sunny San Diego, with Hall of Famer Tony Gwynn as their head coach in Aztec land.

“He talked to us briefly, but he sold me,” said Moranda, the former Buchanan Bear right hander. “The whole atmosphere, it’s a good place to live. I really like the coaches and Tony Gwynn is a good guy to play for.”

“The first day, they showed us around campus, and the next morning we’re sitting there having breakfast with him (Gwynn) just having a normal conversation like we’ve been talking to him every day,” said Alcala. “It’s going to be pretty exciting.”

Alcala says a sales pitch from Gwynn wasn’t necessary.

“He didn’t even need one,” Alcala said. “He’s a Hall of Famer and I think its going to be a great opportunity for me and Steve to play for him along with the great players and coaching staff San Diego State has to offer.”

As for the present, Alcala has emerged as the leader of Fresno City’s pitching staff. After his complete game four-hit shutout of College of the Sequoias Tuesday, he improved to 5-1 with a 2.85 ERA IN 12 appearances, striking out 66 in 53.2 innings with just 13 walks. Moranda is 2-2 with a 3.28 ERA and 50 strikeouts in 49.1 innings of work. Alcala has the 5th best earned run average in the Central Valley Conference. Moranda is 6th.

“Both Steven and Robert have been great pitchers for us, and certainly provided us with a foundation at the start of the year,” said Rams pitching coach Eric Solberg. “And while it took them a little bit getting on track this year, they certainly are starting to move forward. They’re great guys, great guys for our team and really Division One guys. San Diego State’s lucky to get them.”

Gwynn will also get two guys with completely different mound makeups.

“Steven’s a little more laid back and Robert’s more of an aggressive personality,” Solberg said. That’s one of the great things about coaching is you coach each guy a little bit differently and bring them along differently.”

The two are also good friends. Moranda and Alcala took their recruiting trip to San Diego State together and they’ll be roommates once they move down there. Both guys throw in the high 80’s to low 90’s and hope to make an immediate impact, whether it be in the starting rotation or the bullpen. But they don’t want to leave Fresno without putting another ball on the outfield wall, a.k.a. a state championship.

“We definitely want to finish it up here with a state championship,” said Moranda. “It would really be a nice way to end my career here.”

“As far as this season, this is kind of the only thing I’m focusing on,” Alcala said. “I’m going to try as hard as I can to go out there every outing and give my team the best shot to hopefully win a state title.”

The Hall of Famer is waiting in the on-deck circle.

THIS AND THAT: The Rams are 8-3 in conference play and 18-10 overall… Merced is in first place in the CVC with COS in second and the Rams third… Moranda will start Saturday against the Giants at Euless Park with the first pitch set for 1 p.m.

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MOUNTIES ELIMINATE RAMS FROM STATE PLAYOFFS AGAIN

Surniya Darden had a game-high 22 points for the Fresno City College womens’ basketball team, but the Rams were eliminated by Mt. San Antonio 70-64 in the state quarterfinal at Selland Arena Friday night. The Mounties are the three-time defending state champions. They have eliminated the Rams from the postseason for the second straight year.

Four players finished in double figures for the Rams: Darden, Natasha Brown (12 points), Blakely Goldberg (12), and Lela Myles (10).

Jordan Kuzma had 19 points to lead the Mounties.

Fresno City finishes the season with a 30-7 record. They were the #4 seed in the North.

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FIRST LOSS ENDS RAMS’ SEASON

20 missed free throws doom Fresno City against Riverside

By George Takata
VSP Senior Writer-

Undefeated teams don’t shoot free throws like this:

Brent Grice: 1-6 from the line.

Aaron Hill: 5-10.

Edward Willis: 1-4.

As a team: 16-36 (44.4 percent).

That’s why Fresno City, the number one team in the state coming into the state championships, isn’t undefeated anymore.

A 71-67 loss to Riverside in the quarterfinal round of the state playoffs at Selland Arena dashed Fresno City’s dream of an unblemished season. Now, their only loss is the one that sent them packing.

Sultan Toles-Bey led the Rams with a gutty 23 point performance, making three pointers and driving to the lane, drawing contact and getting to that ever intimidating free throw line. He was 3-5 from the charity stripe.

With the help of poor Rams’ shooting, the Tigers took a 30-25 lead into the halftime break. Fresno City shot 27.6 percent from the field in the first half.

Head coach Ed Madec’s crew never led in the second half, but whittled the Riverside lead to three points thanks to the marksmanship of Hill, who was 4-7 from long distance. Hill finished with 17 points.

Robbie Robinson led the Tigers with 18 points.

Riverside outscored Fresno City in the paint 37-16, but took just ten three point attempts compared to the Rams’ 33 attempts.

The Rams end their season with a 34-1 record.

THIS AND THAT: The Reedley men’s team lost to Saddleback College 62-56. Marquel Hoskins led the Tigers with 18 points. Reedley ends its season with a 25-7 record… The Fresno City women’s team pays Mt. San Antonio tonight at 7 at Selland Arena in the quarterfinal round… the high school basketball season is officially over; every team from the valley lost in the quarterfinal round of state playoff action last night (Hanford and Fresno Christian girls, and Bakersfield Christian and Central Valley Christian boys… all four teams played on the road.

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