The San Diego State assistant coaches were talking after practice a few days ago, and newbie Ryan Badrtalei from UC Irvine was wondering how many fans would show up for Wednesday night’s preseason game against Division II Cal State San Marcos. A couple hundred, maybe?
He was floored when they told him 12,414-seat Viejas Arena would be two-thirds full.
“For an exhibition?” Badrtalei said.
It might be even more than that.
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The arena is practically sold out for all games between season-ticket holders and the student section, the program is coming off a trip to the national championship game and the Sweet 16 (or “7-and-UConn in the NCAA Tournament,” as head coach Brian Dutcher likes to say), and there’s no television or radio coverage of the 7 p.m. tip.
There’s also an added aura of tantalizing mystery surrounding the 2024-25 edition of the Aztecs.
When you have eight new players, when your most experienced returnee is out hurt, when you’re replacing all five starters, when you’re not picked to finish first or second in the Mountain West for the first time in more than a decade, the unknowns outweigh the knowns.
Fans will be interested to see how it all fits together.
So will Dutcher.
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“We’re still trying to learn a lot of our set plays,” Dutcher said. “I mean, we know where we’re going but we have to think about it. We just have to move without thinking, and that takes time. It’s the timeline on everything. We’re working every day, we’re getting better. But I don’t think we’re where we need to be yet.
“We’re nowhere near midseason form with a bunch of new guys. We still have some tendencies where we look really new, but we have good talent and our health is about as good as it could be, and I’m encouraged by that.”
Dutcher still hasn’t yet had his full roster together for even a single practice since July, but he has everyone available Wednesday night except senior guard Reese Waters, his top returning scorer (9.6 points) and the only Aztec on the Mountain West preseason all-conference team. That’s a welcome improvement over the Oct. 20 closed-door scrimmage at preseason No. 22 UCLA, when he had eight healthy bodies and six were freshmen or sophomores.
Transfer guard Nick Boyd has been medically cleared after spending two-plus months in a protective boot on his injured left foot (and missing the UCLA scrimmage) and is expected to start. He technically will have a minutes’ restriction, but Dutcher said that shouldn’t be an issue given his tentative plan to sub in groups of five and use his bench liberally.
Dutcher will be watching everyone, of course, but he’ll pay particular attention to the 6-foot-2 point who led Florida Atlantic to the Final Four two seasons ago and had 12 points against the Aztecs before Lamont Butler’s dramatic buzzer-beater.
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“He’s been so limited, it’s still a mystery what he’s going to be for us,” Dutcher said. “These guys who have been practicing with us since July, when he got hurt, I’ve seen a lot of them. I haven’t seen enough of Nick over the last few practices to know exactly what I have with him on the floor yet.
“All coaches want a comfort level in knowing what they have. Nick is still somewhat of a mystery to me. I’ve seen really good play from him. But over an extended period of time with the other guys in game minutes, I’m excited to see that.”
Also expected to start are sophomore BJ Davis, redshirt sophomore Miles Byrd, redshirt freshman Magoon Gwath and Middle Tennessee grad transfer Jared Coleman-Jones.
Davis’ spot presumably would be occupied by Waters, who suffered a stress fracture in his right foot and is out another five to seven weeks (and perhaps longer).
The 6-2 guard from Modesto Christian High School appeared in only 12 games (for 67 total minutes last season) and scored 14 points, then doubled that in the UCLA scrimmage.
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“We’re a defensive program, but you turn your head at a guy who puts up that kind of points against UCLA,” Dutcher said. “He’s earned his way to start there and see what he’s like. Then I’ll have choices to make, because I have really good players.”
Also available is USD transfer Wayne McKinney III, who missed the UCLA scrimmage with a tweaked hamstring. He’s expected to back up Boyd at the point.
Sophomore forward Miles Heide is the only member of the bench who played significant minutes last season. He’ll be joined in the second unit by McKinney, Brown grad transfer Kimo Ferrari and Las Vegas freshmen Taj DeGourville and Pharaoh Compton.
It’s a lot of new for a program that has excelled by getting old and staying old.
“There’s a public identity for this team that people might not know,” said Byrd, the most experienced returnee. “But this team knows its identity. I think you’ll see the same type of basketball that we’ve played (in the past) but with a little faster-paced offense. We’re still going to play hard, we’re still going to rebound and defend.
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“Three of our oldest guards didn’t play in the UCLA scrimmage. That’s just got to show you a lot, honestly. We had three young guys and Kimo, and we were able to compete at Pauley Pavilion against a good, experienced team like UCLA. I’m excited.”
Phelps inducted
Milton “Milky” Phelps, an SDSU star from yesteryear, will be inducted into the Small College Basketball National Hall of Fame on Friday in Lakeland, Fla. Phelps was the leading scorer on a team that reached the national championship game in 1939 and 1940 and won a national title in 1941.
Back then, SDSU was known as San Diego State College and it played in the National Intercollegiate Basketball Tournament, the predecessor to the NAIA. Phelps was a three-time All-American and the first player in school history with 1,000 career points.
His No. 22 is one of three retired men’s jerseys that hang in Viejas Arena, along with Michael Cage’s No. 44 and Kawhi Leonard’s No. 15.
Phelps is one of seven players who are part of the 2024 induction class, along with four coaches and one contributor/player. The Small College Basketball Foundation is based in Kansas City, Mo., and services the college levels below Division I.
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Phelps died in 1942 in a Naval training exercise in Corpus Christi, Texas.
San Diego State has received a commitment from Central Michigan quarterback Bert Emanuel Jr., giving the Aztecs a pair of dual-threat transfers to compete for starting quarterback in spring practice.
Michigan transfer quarterback Jayden Denegal signed with the Aztecs following a midweek visit to campus.
The 6-foot-3, 235-pound Emanuel and the 6-5, 235-pound Denegal both have size, speed and strong arms. Both also have two years of eligibility remaining.
“I love competition,” Emanuel said Sunday morning before catching a flight home to Houston. “It brings out the best in people, so I feel like it’s going to be a lot of fun. It’s always good for you. Iron sharpens iron.”
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Emanuel and Denegal were among more than two dozen transfers who made recruiting visits to SDSU the past two weeks.
Seventeen of the players have made commitments, including six who visited this weekend.
In addition to Emanuel, SDSU also received commitments from wide receivers Jacob Bostick (Texas A&M) and Trayvon Rudolph (Northern Illinois), defensive lineman Malachi Finau (Hawaii), linebacker Mister Williams (Incarnate Word) and cornerback Kai Rapolla (Cal Poly).
San Diego State has greeted more than two dozen transfer recruits the past two weekends. (Kirk Kenney / San Diego Union-Tribune)
Emanuel said he is impressed with the culture SDSU coach Sean Lewis and his staff are establishing.
“Everyone here is in love with football,” he said. “They aren’t just here for the money. They truly love football and that’s the type of team I want to be a part of. … The energy in the program is great, and I believe in (Lewis’) plan and system to go out there and help us win games.”
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SDSU got a glimpse of Emanuel in September, when he subbed for Central Michigan starting quarterback Joe Labas at times against the Aztecs. Emanuel attempted one pass while rushing six times for 32 yards in a 22-21 Chippewas victory.
Emanuel has been most impressive running the ball, carrying 145 times for 844 yards (6.1 ypc) and 12 touchdowns. The highlight was a 2022 game against Buffalo, when he rushed for 293 yards and three touchdowns. Emanuel is 27 of 51 passing for 439 yards and five touchdowns with three interceptions.
Emanuel’s career has been sidetracked by injuries, but he’s healthy now and eager for a fresh start with the Aztecs.
“What I bring to the field is my dual-threat ability,” he said. “I am able to attack the defense through the air and also on the ground with my legs.”
Emanuel views himself as a good fit for the SDSU offense as “a dynamic quarterback here helping us win a lot of games and putting up a lot of points in the near future.”
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Emanuel is the son of Bert Emanuel Sr., who was a college quarterback at UCLA and Rice before playing eight seasons in the NFL as a wide receiver.
“It helps a lot being able to sit back and just talk ball with him, any day, all day,” Emanuel said. “I know I can just call him and talk football.”
Among the newcomers joining Emanuel is Rudolph, who collected 151 receptions for 2,032 yards and 10 touchdowns during his time at Northern Illinois. The Huskies just happen to be SDSU’s Week 4 opponent on the 2025 schedule.
Rapolla had 41 tackles this season at Cal Poly, with three fumble recoveries and two interceptions.
Williams, who is the older brother of SDSU safety Prince Williams, had four sacks among 78 tackles this season at Incarnate Word.
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SDSU received commitments from Denegal, running back Christian Williams (Coastal Carolina), a Helix High School graduate, and defensive back Dwayne McDougle (Idaho) after midweek visits.
The transfer commitments began pouring in just more than a week ago after SDSU brought in 11 players for visits. Seven players from that group have committed.
The offense added wide receiver Myles Kitt-Denton (Northwestern State), tight ends Jackson Ford (Tulsa) and Seth Adams (Southeastern Louisiana) and offensive lineman Bayo Kannike (Utah Tech).
The defense added edge Niles King (Grand Valley State) and linebacker Tanner Williams (Utah State). Punter Hunter Green (Northern Colorado) also signed.
SDSU had 22 players enter the transfer portal, though two who announced (wide receiver Jordan Napier and linebacker Brady Anderson) have decided to remain with the Aztecs.
Law enforcement at the scene of a fatal shooting in Oak Park, Saturday, Dec. 21, 2024. Courtesy Onscene.Media
Law enforcement is investigating a fatal shooting that took place Saturday night at an independent living facility in the neighborhood of Oak Park.
Police responded to calls about an assault with a deadly weapon on the 3100 block of 54th St. at around 10:24 p.m. and arrived to find a man with a gunshot wound to his upper torso.
“[There are] several people inside the house that detectives are speaking with,” Lt. Lou Maggi with San Diego Police Department’s Homicide Unit told Onscene.Media.
“About nine people inside the house and then several more people outside.”
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He added that investigators do not yet have a description of a suspect, but they do not believe that the shooting was random or that there is any threat to the community at large.
SDPD is asking anybody with any information to call the Homicide Unit at (619) 531-2293, or San Diego Crime Stoppers at (888) 580-8477.
SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — At the beginning of December, it was a called a ‘last ditch effort,’ by Imperial Beach Mayor Paloma Aguirre. On December 17th, Mayor Aguirre left for Washington D.C. to get funding for the Tijuana River sewage crisis.
Saturday, President Biden signed a federal funding bill that will dole out $250 million towards the full repair and expansion of the South Bay International Wastewater Treatment Plant near our southern border. It’s been a long wait for relief for south bay residents — relief from the smell and relief from a federal level.
Back in August, we spoke with Everett Sena who expressed his frustration after living in the area with his wife for more than 40 years.
“We can smell it at night, you can smell it at the wee hours of the morning,” he tells us. “It’s pretty annoying. I mean we’ve dealt with it for years already and I just wish the system would be taken care of because we’ve dealt with it.”
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The action taken by the White House comes after Mayor Aguirre told ABC 10News she was going to push for a federal state of emergency while in D.C. and felt optimistic about her conversations with republican congress members.
In an Instagram post, Mayor Aguirre called it a’success.’
The Tijuana sewage crisis has been a decades long issue, 10news has been following along the way.
From county leaders calling for federal help including San Diego County Supervisor, Terra Lawson-Remer. At a presser back in Juneshe doubled down once again.
“We’ve been demanding that the state and federal government take urgent action to clean up the Tijuana sewage crisis and to protect public health.”
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And even the younger generation taking a stand, like the Imperial Beach Charter second graders who sent letters to the President.
This, while South Bay residents have been trying their best to adjust to the persistent stench, where they’ve called it terrible.
And while its a step in the right direction, Mayor Aguirre explains the fight is far from over.
“The plant itself is not going to solve the entire crisis. The plant will treat 50 million gallons per day of sewage once it’s completed, which won’t be for another 5 years.”
You can track the progress of the upgrades to the South Bay International Wastewater treatment plant here.
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