Men’s Basketball

This story about Ohlone College Men’s Basketball team was first broadcast during the live Ohlone Tri-City News program on November 2, 2022.

Reporter: Alyanna Pasta
Photographer: Richard Kim

Reporter Lead-in:
Basketball season is coming for Ohlone’s men’s team! Here’s Alyanna with a story on the team and how they are getting ready for their season.
REPORTER (V/O):
The Ohlone men’s basketball team welcomes a new coaching staff that got hired just this past spring. The coaches have different reasons for choosing to come to Ohlone.
Jordan Lee, Head Coach
This is home for me. I grew up in the Bay Area. So I spent a couple of years at Riverside, but you know, coming back was, you know really special to me. My family’s here. My friends are here.
Nate Millheim, Lead Assistant Coach
My friendship with Jordan Lee, who’s our head coach. We’ve talked about coaching together for a long time, so I was excited to jump on board and coach with him.
Reporter (V/O):
The coaches feel welcome in the Ohlone community and are excited to be a part of it.
Nate Millheim, Lead Assistant Coach
I mean, I’m still new to it, but I really enjoy it so far. I’ve just gotten to know a few of the other coaches and staff around here, but so far I’ve really enjoyed it.
Jordan Lee, Head Coach
So this community has really welcomed me, whether it’s from student life, ASOC, all the different organizations on campus, uh Moja. Like everyone has just been so welcoming to me and it’s just been fantastic just getting integrated in my time here.
Reporter (V/O):
The team spends about four to five hours practicing every day, and they value their time.
John Paul Patague, Sophomore Shooting Guard
During practice we do a lot of shooting. Getting reps up, running through plays and stuff. And in the weight room usually just like strengthening workouts and stuff.
Nate Millheim, Lead Assistant Coach
Just to get a little bit better when we talk about getting 1% better, but just like as a whole, physically, like mentally, emotionally, can we just get a little bit better every day?
Reporter (V/O):
The players and coaches do face challenges like every athlete.
John Paul Patague, Sophomore Shooting Guard
As a player is like, uh, being motivated and staying consistent and stuff and uh, being disciplined as well and managing your time because you got to work plus long hours of practice.
Jayelen Jones, Sophomore Point Guard
I think the biggest challenge is just staying consistent because a bad week could ruin like your whole year. So you might want to to stay on top of what you’re doing.
Nate Millheim, Lead Assistant Coach
I think one challenge is like the work is never done. Like you could work all day and still have more scouting and more recruiting and more film to watch.
Reporter (V/O):
The team doesn’t experience any serious conflict, but they do get competitive from time to time.
John Paul Patague, Sophomore Shooting Guard
We’re not perfect. So like, we argue sometimes, fight sometimes, but at the end of the day, we’re brothers. We talk it out at the end of the day.
Jayelen Jones, Sophomore Point Guard
We know that there’s nothing serious, so we don’t really take it personal. So we get over it.
Josh Niusulu, Sophomore Power Forward
Not like team conflict, I wouldn’t say that. I would say more competitive. We get more competitive. And I mean, at the end of day, we laugh and we go to Chick-Fil-A and, you know, smile at each other and enjoy each other’s company.
Reporter (V/O):
Despite the challenges they face, they make sure they overcome them. They remain positive and motivated, and some have different things that keep them motivated on the court.
Jordan Lee, Head Coach
Sometimes it’s just baby steps. And whatever the challenge is, sometimes you approach it with just simple conversation. Sometimes you have to it’s a question of accountability or a question of discipline, but it’s just one bite at a time.
John Paul Patague, Sophomore Shooting Guard
There’s this Bible verse that I look up to. Uh, Philippians 413. I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength. Yeah, that’s what I look up to.
Jayelen Jones, Sophomore Point Guard
So my dad passed away a couple of weeks ago, so now everything I do is just for him. So I just keep that in mind.
Nate Millheim, Lead Assistant Coach
There is a quote I really like that actually helped me get back into coaching by Howard Thurman, and he wrote, “Don’t Ask What the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive and go do that. Because the what the world needs is people who have come alive.”
Reporter (V/O):
The team has high hopes for the season and years to come.
Nate Millheim, Lead Assistant Coach
You know, we want to win a lot of games. We want to win our league, we want to win state.
Josh Niusulu, Sophomore Power Forward
So my, my dream goal is to play D1 College or D2 and then play overseas after
Jordan Lee, Head Coach
I really think my guys are are buying in. They really are. Their energy, the charisma, they love it. They really, really love it. Like this means a lot to them and it means a lot to me. And I think when you are that bought in and you care that much about a team and about its success, I already feel like we’re on the path to where we want to get to.
Reporter (V/O):
The team is excited for the season ahead of them, and they are putting in work to have a great season.
Josh Niusulu, Sophomore Power Forard
Just come come support us and watch us win some games.
John Paul Patague, Sophomore Shooting Guard
I love this team. I love the brotherhood, the bond that we have. It’s fun. It’s fun to be here. It’s going to be a good year.
Jordan Lee, Head Coach
I’m a first year head coach here at Ohlone, and they had to put a lot of belief in me and trust in me because I’m unproven. And a lot of these guys were unproven and a lot of people kind of looked like kind of look the other way and didn’t really trust in them and didn’t really think that they were really good. And so as a group, I’m just really happy that these guys are together and we’re just getting closer and closer together every day.
Reporter (V/O):
Be sure to support the team at their home coming game on Thursday, November 10th at 7 PM! From Ohlone College in Fremont, this is Alyanna Pasta for Ohlone Tri-City News.