Young Bulldogs seem to have hit their stride

For the first time, in their still young season, it seems the Bulldogs may have found their stride.

After beating Pacific the other night on a buzzer beater, the Bulldogs used their height to their advantage as they dominated Cal State Bakersfield 66-51 in a game that wasn't even that close. The Bulldogs were led by young freshman Paul George who finished with a game high 17 points including a career high five three-pointers to go along with eight rebounds. That wasn't even their highlight, the 'Dogs had their best defensive effort of the season, holding Bakersfield to 30.6% shooting from the field for the entire game, 29.7% in the second half alone.

Is this team starting to click as a team after eight games already in the books? After having a few off games, Jr. transfer Sylvester Seay had a good turnaround, finishing the game with 15 points in just 19 minutes in the game. It's going to take guys like that to perform on a consistant basis, along with George, Sr. guard Dwight O'Neil and Freshman guard Mychal Ladd. The one thing I noticed about this team against Bakersfield is, even though Ladd (23 minutes - 2/4 - 8 points) and O'Neil (31 minutes - 4/11 - 9 points) had off nights, George and Seay were there to pick them up. It's also going to take same kind of defensive effort as well, especially if they want to compete with teams like Boise State and Nevada who were picked towards the top of the WAC in the preseason coaches poll.

In his 100th game as the Bulldogs' head coach, Steve Cleveland has a chance to really make this team his own. His recruits, his players, his record. If he can bring this young team together and mold them into a cohesive group, the WAC better watch out or they're going to be surprised by this young team.

I'm not saying that this team is going to win the WAC, I don't think they're nearly that good...yet. Give them another season or two and this could be the team to beat.

Freshmen impress, but Bulldogs fall

On what was arguably the biggest college basketball event in recent history, the Fresno State Bulldogs traveled to Moraga, CA to take on St. Mary's as part of a 24-hour live ESPN telecast that started late Monday night and will continue until tonight.

Freshmen Paul George and Mychal Ladd impressed in their first nationally televised game and showed what kind of players they were going to be in the near future, but St. Mary's was just too much for Fresno State as the Gaels won a 99-85 decision on Monday night.

After the game, Bulldogs' head coach Steve Cleveland was thrilled with his teams' effort, especially with his two future stars. "All of our freshmen weren't intimidated. They played hard and gave us great minutes. They will be better as the season goes on and will be better because of this game."

Impressing the most was first year guard Paul George, who recorded his first double-double of his young career, finishing with 25 points, 10 rebounds and a highlight dunk that was just a sign of things to come.

Having a great night as well as Freshman Mychal Ladd, who surpassed his first game total of 10 points as he dropped in 13 for the Bulldogs. Senior point guard Dwight O'Neil fell one rebound short of a double-double as he racked up 12 points and 9 rebounds in the loss.

All in all it was an impressive showing from this young Bulldog squad, they just faced a tougher faster Gaels' squad that jumped out early and didn't allow the Bulldogs to make a full comeback.

Up next for Fresno State (1-1), they will travel to San Diego, CA on Saturday to face off against the San Diego State Aztecs from Cox Arena. Tip off is scheduled for 1pm local time.

Bulldogs open 2008-2009 season with victory

The Fresno State men's basketball team got their 2008-2009 season off on the right foot, getting 17 points from Jr. transfer Sylvester Seay and used a quick second half surge to defeat Sacramento State 77-65 on Friday night.

Seay transfered to Fresno State last season from Arizona State and had to site out the 2007-2008 campaign before making his debut last night. The Bulldogs also got 14 points from Freshman Paul George and 10 points from Sr. Dwight O'Neil as well as seven rebounds and a career high seven assists in the victory. The Bulldogs led by as many as 26 at one point, 71-45, before Sacramento State closed the game with a 20-6 run thanks to the hot hand of Loren Leath who finished with a game high 21 points.

Bulldogs head coach Steve Cleveland, "We played aggressively on defense tonight and this team continues to get better. This is a very unselfish team and I like how we attacked the ball."

Up next for Fresno State, they will travel to Moraga, CA on Monday to take on St. Mary's as part of ESPN's 24 hours straight of NCAA basketball coverage. That game is not slated to start until 11pm PST. The Bulldogs will then be in San Diego, CA on Saturday the 22nd to take on San Diego State at Cox Arena, that game is scheduled to get underway at 2pm PST.

As for Sacramento State and first year head coach Brian Katz, they will play three straight games on the road to close out the first month of their season. They will be in Riverside, CA to take on UC Riverside on Tuesday, to Pullman, WA on Friday the 21st against Washington State, then finish out their three-game road trip in Bakersfield, CA on Tuesday the 25th against Cal State Bakersfield before they return home on December 1st against Idaho.

Fresno State signs 3 to letters of intent during early signing period

Head Coach Steve Cleveland announced that he has signed three players to letters of intent during the early signing period for the 2009-2010 seasons.

Those three players are Greg Smith, Garrett Johnson, and Jerry Brown, Jr.

Greg Smith, currently attending Westwind Academy (Charter) in Phoenix, Ariz, is a 6'9" 240 lbs post player and is expected to log significant minutes as a freshman next year.

Head Coach Steve Cleveland on Smith: "Greg will obviously have an immediate impact in the program. He is a gifted athlete who understands the game. I love his unselfish play yet he is also capable of taking over a game offensively and defensively."

"It is such a positive thing for the program when you have a talented young man who had so many options yet he chose to come back home and help rebuild this program. Greg's work ethic and energy level will be a great asset to this team and also has the versatility to play multiple positions."

Garrett Johnson, a 6'5" 190 lbs guard from Diamond Bar, CA, is also expected to make an immediate impact for the Bulldogs next season.

Cleveland on Garrett Johnson: "Garrett is a versatile guard that can play all three positions on the perimeter. He has a great understanding of the game. He is a strong and physical player who will have an immediate impact on the program."

"Garrett is a high character student-athlete who will represent this university and community in a positive manner."

Last, but certainly not least, Jerry Brown Jr a 6'6" 195 lbs post player from San Francisco who's currently a stand out at Sacred Heart Cathedral.

Cleveland on Jerry Brown Jr: "Jerry will also play multiple positions. He has the ability to beat a big off the dribble and post up smaller guards."

"Jerry's length and athleticism will be a great asset to our program defensively. Jerry is another young man who has a great work ethic on the court and in the classroom."

Bulldogs open exhibition schedule with a win

Well, you can call it a good start to the basketball season for Fresno State, but I for one am a little worried after Fresno State knocked off Fresno Pacific 97-88 on Tuesday night.

The reason that I'm a little concerned you ask? Should the Bulldogs be giving up 88 points to Fresno Pacific? What's going to happen when teams like Nevada and Boise State come calling? Yes, I know this is a young team and they are definitely in a rebuilding mode with a lot of young players and just one senior, but the defense needs to tighten up. They'll face off against Cal State Stanislaus on Saturday afternoon at 2pm from the Save Mart Center.

The promising thing I take away from the victory is freshmen Paul George and Mychal Ladd, who led the Bulldogs in scoring. George lit up the scoreboard with a 28 point performance, on 11-of-17 shooting, as well as collecting five steals while Ladd chipped in with 21 points of his own, lone senior Dwight O'Neil added 16 points and 7 assists also for the Bulldogs.

Head coach Steve Cleveland, "I am most proud that these guys found a way to win the game by making plays. I appreciate all the fans that came out to watch and know that the support is going to continue to grow."

The attendance on the night was 8,657 at the Save Mart Center, not a bad turnout for an opening night exhibition game.

Bulldogs, Fresno Pacific open exhibition schedule tomorrow night

College Basketball has returned! Well, not officially, not yet anyway. Fresno State will open the exhibition portion of their schedule as they welcome in Fresno Pacific, tomorrow night at 8pm, then they'll face off against Cal State Stanislaus on Saturday afternoon at 2pm.

Though these won't be the toughest tests this young team will face, it'll give the fans as well as head coach Steve Cleveland and his staff an idea of how this team will perform in certain situations and against certain calibre teams.

The exhibition schedule will prepare this team for when they open the season on national television on November 17th. Fresno State will take part in a 24-hour basketball coverage being held on ESPN. That game will be at the Save Mart Center and will tip off at 11pm local time. It will be the first of two games that will get national exposure, the second of which will be on February 19th as they'll host the Hawaii Warriors at the Save Mart Center.

This is a very young team with just one senior, that being Sr guard Dwight O'Neil, but O'Neil has take the role of the leader on this team. We'll see if he makes enough of an impact on these young players to hopefully make a good showing in the Western Athletic Conference.

Bulldogs tip off 2009 season with annual Red/White Scrimmage

The Fresno State Men's Basketball team will tip off their 2008-2009 season with the annual Red/White Scrimmage, which will take place October 29th at the Save Mart Center. The doors will open to the public at 6:30pm with the festivities getting underway at 7pm, admission is free.

The events will not only feature a slam dunk contest between freshman high-flyer Paul George as well as fellow freshman Mychal Ladd, but also a shooting skills competition featuring sophomore forward Nedeljko Golubovic, junior forward Sylvester Seay, sophomore guard Myles Green and freshman guard Taylor Kelly.

With just over a week left before Fresno State opens its exhibition schedule on November 5th against Fresno Pacific, this will give fans a chance to see this young team in action and see the players they can look forward to for years to come. So, get out to the Save Mart Center tomorrow night, it doesn't cost you anything to get in, bring the kids out and let them enjoy the dunk contest and maybe teach them a little about the game of basketball. This event usually isn't sold out, so this might be the best opportunity to see these players close up.

This Fresno State team is a young squad, they may need a year or two to learn from each other, but watch out for them in 2011. In two years, with the talent this team has at this point, this is going to be a very dangerous Bulldog team to deal with. Maybe you can look back and say, "I saw these kids when they were just starting out," it might be a memory you might enjoy.

Bulldogs begin preperation for 2008-2009 season Friday

The anticipation for the 2008-2009 Men's basketball season officially kicks into gear this coming Friday as the team will have their first official practice. Unfortunately for head coach Steve Cleveland and his staff, he will be at a disadvantage with only 9 allotted scholarships instead of the usual 13 due to rule violations by former coaches and players.

The Bulldogs basketball team will open their exhibition schedule on November 5th against Fresno Pacific and then follow that up with their 2nd of 2 exhibition games on November 9th against Cal State Stanislaus. The Bulldogs will then open their regular season schedule at home on November 14th against Sacramento State, their official home opener at The Save Mart Center.

On Tuesday, the media and coaches voted on how the WAC conference would shake out, the pre-season All-Americans as well as their votes for player of the year. Fresno State was voted to finish 7th in the media poll while the coaches poll had them finishing 8th. Head Coach Steve Cleveland and Sr Guard Dwight O'Neil were part of a WAC Teleconference that afternoon. If you didn't get a chance to hear that teleconference, you can click this link and hear their thoughts on the upcoming 2008-2009 season.

Fresno State will be a part of ESPN's College Hoops Tip-Off Marathon, 23 hours of college basketball coverage, that will get underway at 11pm EST with a tripleheader. The first game, tipping off at midnight easter, will be Massachussetts at Memphis followed by Fresno State at St. Mary's at 2am EST and Idaho State at Hawaii at 4am EST. Coverage will finish at 9pm EST with Kentucky at North Carolina. For coverage breakdown as far as what you can look forward to seeing during those 23 hours, you can click HERE.

Bulldogs begin fall practice

Head Coach Steve Cleveland and the Fresno State men's basketball team have begun their preperations for the 2008-09 basketball season.

Already announced are the team's season schedule as well as the addition of point guard Bryce Cartwright to the Bulldog roster. Cartwright, a 6'0" Freshman guard out of Compton, led Dominguez High School to the 2008 state championship game averaging 12 points and 6 assists per game.

The Bulldogs will have their annual Red/White Scrimmage on October 29th, and will play exhibition games against Fresno Pacific on November 5th and Cal State Stanislaus on November 9th before opening their season schedule against Sacramento State on November 14th at the Save Mart Center.