There were three successful debuts in Sacramento State basketball this week to launch the 2025-26 season.
The most anticipated premiere was that of former Sacramento Kings star Mike Bibby as coach of the men’s team, which defeated Dominican 103-79 Nov. 4. A day earlier the women’s team, coached by Aaron Kallhoff, cruised past Stanton University 124-39.
Both teams played inside the new Hornet Pavilion, a venue that sits within The WELL, an on-campus fitness facility. A sellout crowd of 2,312 attended Tuesday’s game.
Bibby was the point guard on the Kings’ championship-contending teams of the early 2000s. He spent half his 14-year NBA career with Sacramento.
The Hornets’ entire 14-man roster is new to the program, making Sacramento State one of eight programs nationally with zero returning players from a year ago.
Five players scored in double figures. Prophet Johnson and Jayden Teat led with 21 points each, followed by Jeremiah Cherry with 17, Brandon Gardner’s 11 and Mikey Williams’ 10.
The 6-foot-11 Cherry, who resembles current NBA star Karl-Anthony Towns in both looks and game, logged a double-double by adding 10 rebounds. On defense he protected the rim, blocking three shots and altering several others.
For the women, five players scored in double figures. Brooklyn Taylor led with a career-high 19 points, Natalie Picton had 18, Ajong Lual 14, Pinja Paananen 13, and Elizabeth Abiara 12.
While both wins were impressive, their opponents play in lower-division college athletics. Dominican of San Rafael plays in Division 2 and Stanton of Anaheim plays at the NAIA level and just launched its program two years ago.
The competition gets stiffer for the Hornets quickly. After hosting D2 William Jessup on Friday, the men entertain UC Santa Barbara on Tuesday, Nov. 11, and travel to Causeway rival UC Davis on Friday, Nov. 14.
The women next play Thursday, Nov. 6, hosting Nevada at Hornet Pavilion, and then travel to Berkeley on Sunday, Nov. 9 to play Cal.