Men’s Basketball Team Take California
Emily Cobb | March 2, 2023
Warren Wilson College Athletics
Warren Wilson Basketball Player Jerry Daye
Warren Wilson College’s (WWC) men’s basketball team recently visited Calif. for the Coast-2-Coast (C2C) conference. This was the first time the team ever attended and was the result of the Massey rating. A rating that consists of looking at each team’s schedule and their win-loss record. Because the team was ranked fifth using this method — the top six teams attended — the team was invited.
Robin Martin-Davis is the athletic director, head women’s basketball coach and interim head men’s basketball coach. Martin-Davis has worked at WWC since 2014 and recently stepped in to coach the men’s team this past semester, making it her first time coaching a men’s basketball team.
“They were a good group,” Martin-Davis said. “They're respectful and they worked hard. But totally different game, right? So this was a unique experience that I've not had [before].”
WWC recently joined C2C last year, helping the school in its process of becoming an NCAA Division III school. The men were invited to this tournament, and thanks to previous games they were able to attend.
“The men had played so many guarantee games, which are [against] Division One opponents where they get money, so they were able to have enough fundraised money for that opportunity,” Martin-Davis said. “It was the first time we've flown a team, so that's just awesome.”
Odarius Cade is a junior and is on the Athletics Crew, this is his second year on the team.
“It’s something that a lot of people don't get to do so it was a real big opportunity,” Cade said.
The team flew to Calif. Feb. 22, played Feb. 23 and flew back on Feb. 24.
The men’s team had a huge comeback in the second half of the game according to Martin-Davis. In the first half, it was 28-46; the team outscored but lost to UC Santa Cruz in the second half, ending 72-87.
“As a team, I say that we actually played good,” Cade said. “We started off slow. [If we] played how we did second half, I think we could have definitely won.”
Despite the loss, for many of the players, it presented a unique opportunity Martin-Davis said. It allowed some players to fly on a plane for the first time including Cade.
“My favorite part was being able to get out there and play on the court and be out there playing basketball on the West Coast,” Banuelos said. “And you know, being able to be with my teammates on a plane.”
Antonio “Ton” Banuelos is a junior and is on the CIAC Crew. This is his third year on the team.
“It was a good experience going down there and playing the Santa Cruz team,” Banuelos said. “They were well-coached and we’re ready to come back and make a run in the tournament next year.”
When asked what the best part of the tournament was Martin-Davis said: “Being able to provide that experience for some of our student-athletes that they never have had. The athletic director side of me is so glad we all made it there and back.”
Many of the players agreed that they viewed the tournament as a business trip, and a unique experience.
Braxton Crocker is a freshman at WWC and is on the Dining Crew.
“This was pretty much a business trip,” Crocker said. “We were just trying to focus on the tournament. Not too much on the outside.”
Though Martin-Davis will no longer be coaching the men’s team after this season, she still wishes the best for the team and enjoyed the experience.
“My hope is that they'll stay together, they'll come back and build off this experience that they've had,” Martin-Davis said. “I really want to find a good coach to step right in and get started early so they can start to build those relationships.”
Though the season had its ups and downs, Cade stressed how he felt the second semester showed real improvement in the team.
“Once we came together and put the pieces together, second semester we started winning,” Cade said. “I feel like first semester if we'd played like that we would have had a way better season and a better record than we did.”
Martin-Davis agreed that the team had experienced difficulties throughout the season.
“I'm proud of them,” Martin-Davis said. “They had a ton of adversity, and so I am just super proud that we made it there and that they did well and handled all the adversity.”