By Aaron Johnson (@voz_aaron1) – Spear Reporter | Senior guard Josh Uduje makes a dribble move (photo by Nikita Bankar – Spear Photographer)
SJSU men’s basketball defeated Cal State East Bay 75-61 on Oct. 29 in an exhibition matchup. As this was the first opportunity to see a new look Spartans basketball team with 12 new players on the roster, here are the three biggest takeaways from the matchup.
Paint Presence
Rob Vaihola fights for a rebound (photo by Nikita Bankar – Spear Photographer)
The return of junior center Rob Vaihola will be a huge plus for the Spartans as he missed all of last season with an injury. The Spartans ranked second to last in the Mountain West last season in rebound per game with 30.8 and having him back gives the Spartans the rebounding presence they missed.
Vaihola had 16 rebounds in the game.
“My main mindset was to go out and play as hard as I can,” Vaihola said. “Try to grab as many boards as I can and help the team win.”
Vaihola played 24 minutes while totaling six points and two assists. Head coach Tim Miles wants to emphasize that Vaihola is an all around player.
“Vaihola is a really smart player, he can pass, he knows the screening angles and he knows the nuances of the game too,” Miles said. “He really brings a whole new element besides just rebounding.”
Vaihola’s passing was on full display when he tossed an alley-oop to senior center Chol Marial.
“He can go up and get anything really,” Vaihola said. “I saw him rolling and his guy was a little behind, so I just threw it up there and he went and got it.”
Marial’s height of seven-foot-two makes him the tallest player in the Mountain West Conference and he showed that off by recording five blocks on the night.
“Marial changes the game and he really helps us defensively,” Miles said.
On top of that, junior forward Sadraque NgaNga scored eight points while snagging six rebounds.
“(NgaNga) just needs to keep staying confident,” Vaihola said. “He’s not even scratching the surface yet, he has so much potential.”
Josh Uduje scores 25
Josh Uduje dunks the ball (photo by Nikita Bankar – The Spear)
SJSU recruited a big name this offseason with senior guard Josh Uduje.
Uduje was named the Mountain West Sixth Man of the Year for the 2023-2024 season for his play at Utah State. The Aggies finished with the best conference record in the Mountain West last season at 14-4 and Uduje played a big role on that team.
In his first game action as a Spartan, Uduje scored a team leading 25 points in 25 minutes while shooting 8-9 from the field. He also managed to grab five rebounds.
“My teammates just found me in the right position,” Uduje said. “They’re just looking to make my life really easy.”
Look for Uduje to be a threat to score for the Spartans this season.
“He can be a highly efficient guy for us with versatility,” Miles said. “He can play a couple different spots for us, so that’s important too.”
Starting Five
Donovan Yap Jr. takes a three (photo by Nikita Bankar – Spear Photographer)
The starting five for the game was as follows
- Graduate student guard Donovan Yap Jr.
- Junior guard Will McClendon
- Senior guard Josh Uduje
- Junior forward Sadraque NgaNga
- Junior center Rob Vaihola
The Spartans boast a completely new starting five compared to last season. This game was the first time they all saw live game action working together.
SJSU had a hot start getting to 17-4 lead against Cal State East Bay but then allowed the game to get back to within eight at the end of the first half with the score being 38-30.
“I feel like we had our moments where we looked like the continuity and pace on offense was really good and defensively we were making it really difficult for them,” Uduje said. “We’ve got to do a better job of sustaining that through a whole half.”
Yap was the team’s second leading scorer with 14 points while collecting six rebounds and dishing out four assists.
McClendon showed force on the defensive side of the ball while also scoring 13 points and getting six rebounds and three assists.
“He’s one of the best passers I’ve ever played with,” Uduje said of McClendon. “So you can expect a lot more assists.”
The 2024-2025 Spartans have now got their first taste of game action.
They look to officially open their season against Western Illinois on Nov. 4 at the Provident Credit Union Event Center at 7 p.m.
