After being eligible for the playoffs for the first time since moving up to the NCAA Division II ranks, the CSU East Bay men’s basketball team experienced many ups and downs.

The ups being, starting conference play 2-0 with victories over conference juggernauts Sonoma State and Humboldt State. The lows were evident in a nine game losing streak that saw the Pioneers almost go a month between California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) victories.

The Pioneers, who returned 10 players from last season’s 10-16 team, 8-14 in conference, will be looking to make the conference playoffs for the first time since joining the NCAA.

Gone from last season’s team will be graduating seniors Roshun Wynne and Adam Watt.

Wynne was second on the team in scoring with a point per game average of 14 and led the team in steals last season with 2.8.

Watt will be with the team this season as a graduate assistant on the coaching staff.

While Wynne’s scoring will be missed, head coach Will Biggs believes his team will have the firepower to overcome the loss.

“I hope 10 returnees outweigh losing two,” Biggs said.

Returning for his senior campaign will be leading scorer and Second Team All-CCAA player Mark Samuels.

Samuels led the team in scoring (16.2) assists (3.2) and rebounding (5), and will be looked upon to help guide the Pioneers to their first post season berth since joining the NCAA.

His mate in the backcourt will be reigning CCAA freshman of the year Jacari Whitfield.

What the point guard lacks in size, as he’s listed at 5’7”, he makes up for with explosive speed and a pinpoint jump shot.

Whitfield was third on the team in minutes per game last season (27.9) and was second in assists with a three assist per game average.

Biggs also believes the addition of redshirt freshman Ota Okungbowa and more extended playing time for explosive wing Nick Marshall, who averaged 7.9 points per game in the seven he played, might make a huge difference for the team.

Coupled with the experience leading three point shooter Jason Smith and starting forward Jurrell Turner received last year that his team will be better equipped to handle the season long grind that is the CCAA.

“The only good thing about last season was that we got a pretty solid nucleus of players who understand how hard we have to work to have any chance to compete,” Biggs explained.

According to Biggs, if his team is to stand a chance against the competition this season he is going to need to see a team with more dedication on the defensive end, as well as the boards.

The leading rebounder last season was Samuels who is listed at only 6’0”, a fairly short stature among college basketball players.

Defensively, the Pioneers allowed 76 points per game to their opponents, while also allowing them to shoot at a 48 percent clip and were outrebounded by nine rebounds a game.

“We got to rebound and guard the ball consistently,” Biggs said. “Hopefully they want to play hard for each other.”

An early road game against Sonoma State could be an indicator of how the season will unfold for the Pioneers.

If the Pioneers could go into the Humboldt State game 3-2 in conference, then a top eight finish will become a legitimate possibility.

With those games still a while away, Biggs will look to take each practice one day at a time with his team.

“What we can control is how hard we practice and how we take care of ourselves away from the floor,” Biggs said.