By Aaron Johnson (@voz_aaron1) – Managing Editor | Junior center Rob Vaihola goes up for a dunk in warmups before SJSU’s 67-58 win over Wyoming on Jan. 25. (photo by Denim Bragg – Freelance Photographer)
The San Jose State and Fresno State rivalry has been a staple of the two colleges’ athletic programs.
This time around San Jose State (11-12, 4-7 MW) has three Fresno State transfers on the roster, graduate student guard Donovan Yap Jr., junior center Robert Vaihola and senior guard Steven Vasquez, adding more fuel to the fire.
“It just adds more of a drive and passion to wanting to be out there and get the job done,” Yap said. “Everybody wants to beat their rival school and everybody also wants a chance at their old school. So, I think it will be a good one for us.”
Yap spent the past three seasons at Fresno.
Head coach Tim Miles is winless in Fresno during his SJSU tenure and SJSU has not won at Fresno since a 71-68 overtime victory on Jan. 10, 2009.
Fresno State (5-17, 1-10 MW) currently sits tenth in the Mountain West. This gives the Spartans a good chance to break that losing streak.
The Bulldogs lone win in conference play comes in a 74-65 win against Air Force (3-19, 0-11), who are currently last place in the Mountain West.
“They play really hard, really scrappy,” Vaihola said. “We have to be prepared to be tough, just play our game and don’t let them get us out of our game.”
Vaihola is coming off of a seven-block performance against Air Force which is the most blocks a Mountain West player has had all season. In the post-game press conference Miles spoke very highly of Vaihola’s basketball IQ, an aspect of his game that Miles feels goes underappreciated.
“Honestly I (agree with Miles),” Vaihola said. “My seven blocks were all below the rim blocks, so as an undersized five man and not the most athletic, I got to have great timing defensively and offensively too. It’s all the same with passing and initiating our offense.”
Vaihola is now tied for second in the Mountain West in blocks per game with 1.5.
Defense is something that the two starting Fresno transfers take pride in. In SJSU’s 67-58 win against Wyoming Yap played defense against senior guard Obi Agbim who is second in the Mountain West in points per game.
Yap held him to a 3-12 shooting performance and only put up seven points, which was his lowest total of the entire season.
“I wanted to guard him. I ask my coaches to guard the best player every game,” Yap said. “It’s a pride thing for me. I want to get in front of the best player, shut them down and force them to have bad games like that.”
Fresno State will see some familiar faces tomorrow at 7.p.m.
“(Having three Fresno transfers) makes it personal a little bit,” Vaihola said. “It’s always exciting to play against Fresno State and especially to go over there and be back in Save Mart Arena.”
