One thing that is for certain is that basketball seems to bring people together here at the California campus, and the program has their Seniors to thank for that special connection. Recently, I was given the opportunity to sit down with these four fantastic individuals for a chance to dive deeper into their careers here at California and their journey through the game of basketball. Additionally, I was able to get some behind-the-scenes information that gives fans a better understanding of who these players are off the court, and why being a Vulcan meant so much to them. These interviews were set for the week of the PSAC Tournament, where both teams were lined up to host a game on their home court before a chance to play in the NCAA Tournament.
In these interviews, Dejah Terrell, Jordan Smith, Zyan Collins, and Jermaine Hall Jr. all go in depth about their basketball careers and what led them to the point where they are at today. They discuss the relationships they have developed over the years with their teammates and coaches, along with anyone else they managed to meet through the university.
Dejah Terrell finished the season averaging 15.7 points per game, 9.1 rebounds, and just under two blocks. She managed to shoot 43% from the floor, 23% from three-point range, and 73% from the free throw line. She scored a total of 503 points, marking the second time she has accomplished that after scoring 557 points in the 2021-22 season, where she was able to average 18.6 points and 9.7 rebounds a game. She finishes her California career with 1,097 points, 591 rebounds, 140 blocks, 90 steals, and 68 assists for the Vulcans in 64 career games, while averaging 31 minutes per game. Outside of her Vulcan career, she set a new single-season school record for points in a season with 608, for Albright (PA), a Division III school where she played prior to transferring to California. At Albright, she ranked 6th in the nation in total points, rebounds, and blocked shots in her Sophomore season back in 2019-20.
Jordan Smith has been a defensive-minded player for the majority of her career, as she averaged 4.8 points per game, 3.4 rebounds, and right around a steal and a half per game. She transferred to California from Shepherd back in 2022 and has started every game for the Vulcans since then. She ends her career with 64 games played, 384 total points, 245 rebounds, 88 assists, 80 steals, and twelve blocks, while averaging 32 minutes per game over her career.
Jermaine Hall Jr. finished his Senior season with a scoring average of 12.9 points, 7.1 rebounds, 2.8 assists per game. He also managed to shoot 46% from the floor, 33% from three-point land, and 66% from the free throw line this season. He finishes his career with the Vulcans with a total of 1,369 points, 751 rebounds, 236 assists, 119 steals, and 33 blocks over 102 career games under Head Coach Danny Sancomb. He also started all 102 games he appeared in.
Zyan Collins’ season stats ended up averaging 13.6 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 3.6 assists per game in his final season with the Vulcans. He was able to shoot 45% from the floor, 31% from three, and 68% from the free throw line throughout his final 33 games of his career. Over his four years of play, he started 116 of the 120 career games since 2018. He finishes his career with 1,743 points, which ranks as the 4th most in California Vulcan history. He also managed to pull down 618 rebounds, dish out 394 assists, and collect 167 steals with 84 blocks across his prestigious career. His name will forever be engraved in the record books here on the California campus.
The full video of interviews is just under an hour and a half long, but it is worth every second. I felt honored to be able to sit down with these players, who proved to me to be more than just great athletes, but also fantastic people in general.
Visit https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ko4PZxtG2Es&t=2460s to watch the exclusive interviews.
