Despite falling to Cinderella No. 15 seed Florida Gulf Coast University in the third round of the NCAA Tournament, San Diego State had a successful season.
Unforgettable Moments
One of the most unforgettable games was the first game of the season on the USS Midway between SDSU and Syracuse University. You couldn’t have asked for a better atmosphere on a beautiful sunny Sunday afternoon. Even though the wind affected the Aztecs’ shooting, it was still a memorable moment to play on an aircraft carrier.
Senior guard Chase Tapley saved the Aztecs in a home game against Boise State University, as he hit the game-winning 3-pointer to beat the Broncos 63-62.
The Aztecs were blessed to receive a No. 7 seed in the NCAA tournament. SDSU took advantage of it by defeating No. 10 seed University of Oklahoma 70-55 in the second round of the NCAA Tournament, its first postseason victory since 2011.
Highlights
Following the loss to Syracuse, SDSU proved it was a contender by winning 11 straight games, including a victory against powerhouse University of California, Los Angeles.
How can you forget Jamaal Franklin’s monster jam against Fresno State? On a fast break, Franklin dribbled down the court and threw an alley-oop from the three-point line off the backboard to himself for the dunk. This was by far the most memorable dunk of the season.
Holding Mountain West Conference regular-season and tournament Champion University of New Mexico to 25 percent shooting and only 34 points at home had to be the best defensive output by SDSU this year. The Aztecs rocked the house in Viejas Arena, as the Lobos felt intimidated by “The Show” in the student section.
Jamaal Franklin
Franklin once again put up another remarkable season for the Aztecs. Franklin became one of two players in the NCAA this year to lead his team with 17 points, 9.5 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 1.6 steals. With these numbers, we most certainly see Franklin’s name come up on NBA mock drafts. Obviously, Franklin will need to make the best decision for himself and his family. My take is that he should declare for the NBA draft. After former Aztec and current San Antonio Spur Kawhi Leonard went to the NBA, Franklin stepped up to the plate as the team leader.
Next season, the Aztecs should try to develop freshman forward Winston Shepard into that new role. With his 6-foot-8 frame, Shepard has all the tools necessary to lead the Aztecs in scoring for the next couple of seasons.
Next Season
Next season, SDSU will lose the following seniors: James Rahon, Chase Tapley, DesShawn Stephens, Narbeh Ebrahimian, Aaron Douglas and possibly Franklin. The good news is SDSU will bring in both four-star Dakarai Allen and three-star D’Erryl Williams from Sheldon High School in Sacramento next fall, while returning players Shepard, Dwayne Polee II, James Johnson and Skylar Spencer.
Conclusion
The Aztecs had their ups and downs this year, finishing 23-11 overall and 9-7 in conference play, but the Aztecs gave fans hope for next season after winning an NCAA tournament game.
