The Sonoma State University Men’s Basketball team hosted the annual ‘SSU Thanksgiving Classic’ this past Saturday and Sunday, which resulted in the Seawolves first win of the 2022-23 season. The Seawolves beat Holy Names University, 93-67 this past Sunday. Their first win came as the Seawolves have been playing competitive basketball as they had lost their two prior games by no more than eight points.

The attendance for both games this weekend was mainly dominated by family members of the team and not as many students. Although the students were not there, the electricity of the atmosphere was all but absent. The crowd was roaring during Sunday’s win. You could tell the team was vibing with the energy within the gymnasium. Once the crowd was getting loud, the ball movement and the overall fluidity of the team was something this team needed. Finding this vibe in the future will be crucial for this team, as they will work to regain their playoff spot. Although they are 1-7, playoffs are not necessarily out of the question as they still have more than 20 games to play. 

Per usual, sophomore Jaylen Wells led the team in scored points throughout the weekend, as he accumulated 47 points in both games. He also had 15 rebounds and 10 assists. Wells continues to be the shining star in this bleak starting season. In the last five games played, Wells has led the team in points. The 6’7” small forward had another excellent performance during Sunday’s victory. He finished the game with 28 points, eight rebounds and five assists. 

An electric moment in the game was when senior point guard Damian Wallace scored a four-point play when he was fouled on a three-pointer. Wallace knocked down the shot right in front of Sonoma’s bench, sending the crowd into a frenzy. He then stepped up to the line and converted the free-throw. This was a key moment in the game as this was a huge momentment boost for the Seawolves. 

Senior and Business major, Ricky Reyes, was at Sunday’s win. “I am glad that the boys were able to figure it out and bring home their first win. Hopefully this win can up their morale and they can go on a win rampage,” said Reyes. He also mentioned that he felt like the referees had made some questionable calls over the duration of the game. He said, “I am glad they were able to still get the win after those calls the refs were making. Our guys were getting fouled left and right and a lot of them weren’t getting called. Sometimes, that’s the difference between a win or loss.” Though the refs didn’t seem to be giving the Seawolves the calls they wanted, Holy Names was no match for SSU’s offense. 

The men are going to be on the road this week, as they take on Cal State East Bay this Thursday, Dec 1. Then they play Cal State Dominguez Hills on Saturday, Dec. 3. However, Dec. 8 will be their next home game against Stanisclaus State at 7:30 p.m. For more information make sure to head over https://sonomaseawolves.com/sports/mens-basketball?path=mbball.