Playing in their first games since February 2020, the Humboldt State Lumberjacks’ men’s basketball returned to the hardwood this past couple of weeks.  During this 14-day road trip, the Lumberjacks played six games against three teams and went 3-3.

 “Once again, I would like to thank the President’s cabinet and athletic administration for its precognition and efforts in helping HSU athletics return to play,” said head coach Tae Norwood.  “Such leadership and vision exemplified, illustrates the many reasons Humboldt State University is such a dynamic place for our student-athletes.”

 Humboldt State, under the guidance of first-year head coach Tae Norwood, averaged 83.2 points per game while shooting 44.6% from the field and 36.5% from three-point land. HSU’s defense forced 18.3 turnovers per game by its opponents while recording 7.5 steals per game. 

 “I am so proud of the young men we have in our program,” noted Norwood.  “They have great character. Being on the road for an extended period of time teaches you a lot about your team. We have a cohesive group who have entrusted into the culture and vision of our program. Hence: stay prepared, give great effort, play for your teammates, and be selfless.”

 Newcomer AJ Sims led the way for the Lumberjacks with his 18.0 scoring average scoring in double figures in five of HSU’s six games including a season high 29 points on February 28 against Academy of Art University.  In that game, Sims went 11-for-18 from the field including connecting on three of his seven attempts from beyond the arc.  He grabbed seven rebounds and recorded three steals.

 “I really enjoyed the trip,” said Sims.  “I got the chance to get closer to my teammates and coaches.  It was a tremendous level of responsibility from all us shown with back to back games, COVID tests and staying on top of our school work while being away for 14 days. We won some games and lost a few but we kept our heads up and kept getting better day by day.”

 Also averaging double digits was Victor Mijas with his 13.2 points per game average.  He scored in double figures in four of HSU’s games including a career high 20 points in the Lumberjacks’ win over Academy of Art on February 26.

 Four players shot over 45% from the field for Humboldt State in Keshawn Hall (.611), AJ Sims (.533), John Reitenbach (.545) and Amari Green (.452).  The Lumberjacks had four players shoot over 42% from three-point range in Jordan Robinson (.500), AJ Sims (.480), Victor Mijas (.429) and Caleb Giordano (.421). 

 HSU shot 75.6% from the charity stripe.  Four players did not miss an attempt from the free throw line in Amari Green, Noah Viera, John Reitenbach and Kody Knox while Mitchell and Mijas each shot over 80%.

 “It was a much needed and great trip for our program,” added HSU senior Gabrys Sadaunykas.  “I believe that we got better every single game and Coach Norwood had a chance to learn some new things about every single one of us. We also bonded really well on and off the court and made some lifelong memories. We believe that we could have ended up with a better record, but we also know that with hard work and dedication more wins will come in the future.”

 Other team leaders were Sadaunykas (6.3 rebounding average, 25 assists and 10 steals), Noah Viera and Bryce Mitchell each with a team high four blocked shots. 

 “The most important thing I learned about my team after these six games is that we have great depth,’’ noted Norwood. “Four different players in 4 different classifications lead us in scoring. I thought we competed well for having limited practice opportunities prior to competition. We welcomed 14 different players into this class. So as expected with learning a new system, we struggled at times with on court chemistry. I expect those things to fix itself as we move forward into the future. Overall, I am pleased with our effort and selflessness. Thank you LUMBERJACK NATION for your continued support.”