Hoop Season Begins at Home for Cal State L.A.

For Cal State Los Angeles basketball Coach Henry Dyer, there is nothing like a little home cooking to start off a season.

Cal State L.A. will play six of its first eight games at home to begin the upcoming basketball season. Dyer believes it is essential that his team take advantage of the home court from their first game, against East Texas State on Wednesday.

“If we can get off to a good start, we’ll be in the mix (of playoff teams) at the end of the season,” Dyer said.

Dyer has several returnees. Derek Knowles, a 6-foot-3 guard, averaged 15.8 points a game last season. Marcus Williams, a 5-foot-10 point guard who averaged nine points and 3.6 assists, and Eric Lattimore, a 6-4 forward-center who averaged six points and five rebounds, round out Dyer’s top veterans.

Dyer also has high expectations that two transfers will aid Cal State L.A. in its run for the California Collegiate Assn. Conference title. Tony McGee, a 6-foot-7 forward-center, averaged 25 points at Mt. San Antonio College in 1991. Ijumaa Armstrong, a 6-foot-2 guard, averaged 25 points at West Los Angeles College last season.