After taking a step backward last year, University of Redlands men’s basketball coach Eric Bridgeland brought in 10 new players ahead of this season. “As you can imagine, when two-thirds of your roster is new it just takes time to gel,” said Bridgeland, who is 59-34 in four-plus seasons in Redlands. “We’re still getting better and better and it’s really exciting, but it just takes time for those guys to accept their roles and become stars in their roles and be selfless,” Bridgeland added. “We have so many talented players (and) they’re all accepting those roles and the ball is being shared and they’re working together defensively and getting better daily.” The Bulldogs (13-3 overall) have come together quickly, with three victories over ranked teams and eight wins in their last nine games overall. They are currently ranked No. 20 in NCAA Division III by D3hoops.com. Junior guard Omari Ferguson (14.9 PPG) and senior guard Chozen Amadi (13.9 PPG) lead the team in scoring, while junior forward Lucas Gordan is averaging 10.3 points, 7.8 rebounds and 1.3 blocks per game. Senior guard Kendrick Currey recently set a new school record with eight assists in the first half of a 94-67 win over Pomona-Pitzer on Jan. 20, and is averaging 8.7 points, 4.4 assists and 3.8 rebounds per game. “We average 90-something (points) and I don’t think we have a guy out there that can’t beat you in a certain way,” Bridgeland said. “(Gordan) might go for 19 and 15, and Currey had eight assists for us last night in the first half, and that’s a school record, so he can beat you just by setting people up. “Then we have the shooters all over the place,” Bridgeland said. “Amadi only scored nine points a few nights ago but his plus/minus when he was on the floor our team was plus-30, which is crazy. We have shooting, we have guys who can get to the rim, we have defense presses and schemes but really everyone can hurt you offensively.” A recent six-game winning streak breathed a sense of confidence into the young team, which features just three seniors. “Of those six, we beat three teams – Hardin-Simmons, Mount Union and New Paltz – in Las Vegas that have all been nationally ranked,” Bridgeland said. “Whenever you’re winning and guys see that and they understand what we’re doing is working and the schemes we’re doing are working, of course it helps (and) so our guys know what they’re capable of and they just work to keep getting better.” January in the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference means a loaded schedule, and Redlands is right in the middle of it. “We’re in the middle of a five-games-in-11-days deal, but it benefits us to have played top teams on the road in the first half of conference,” Bridgeland said. The Bulldogs finish the month with road games at Occidental and Caltech before opening February hosting Claremont-Mudd-Scripps on Feb. 5 and Cal Lutheran on Feb. 8. HENDERSON HAS YOTES BACK IN THE HUNT The Cal State San Bernardino men’s basketball team ended a brief three-game losing streak with back-to-back wins at home last week. The Coyotes (13-6 overall, 6-4 CCAA) got 11 points, 11 rebounds and two blocks from senior guard Andrew Henderson to beat Stanislaus State 65-52 on Thursday, Jan. 16, before Henderson sank the game-winning shot and sealed it a steal at the other end in a 56-55 win over Cal State Monterey Bay on Saturday. Henderson, a 6-foot-5 senior transfer from Sonoma State, is averaging 13.8 points and a team-high 6.5 rebounds this season. CSUSB travels north to take on San Francisco State on Thursday night followed by Cal State East Bay on Sunday. KOVACSICS LEADS CBU PAST GRAND CANYON Junior Mark Kovacsics won three races on his own as the California Baptist University men’s swim team earned a 164-136 victory over Grand Canyon University in Phoenix on Saturday, Jan. 18. Kovacsics set a new pool record at the Edward A. Reese Aquatic Center in the 1,000-meter freesyle with a time of 9 minutes, 16.67 seconds, one of four records set by the Lancers on the day. A 6-foot-1 distance swimmer from Hungary, Kovacsics also won the 500 free (4:29.46) and the 400 individual medley (3:55.93) as CBU claimed victories in 12 of 17 events. Senior Remi Fabiani also set a new pool record in the 100 free (43.23), with CBU also setting new marks in the 200 medley relay (1:27.05) and 200 free relay (1:19.05). ODDS & ENDS UC Riverside placed 30 student-athletes on the Big West All-Academic Team for the 2024 fall season, including men’s soccer senior forward Luka Lukic. … Breanne Ha (Etiwanda) recently tied the Cal Poly Pomona women’s basketball record for three-pointers made (215) and now owns at least a share of the Broncos’ single-game, single-season and all-time 3-point marks. … The Mt. San Jacinto College women’s basketball team is currently 15-3 overall, ranked No. 14 in the state, and on an 11-game winning streak. … The Riverside City College baseball team opens its season with a three-game home series against Cuesta beginning Friday at Evans Sports Complex. 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