When Zach Shamieh caught the ball in the left corner, he was ready. His feet were set, eyes towards the basket, his fingers lined up with the grooves of the ball. More importantly, it was his mind that was prepared. He had worked two years, if not his whole life, for this moment.
He rose up, flicked the ball towards the rim and swished the three.
The Hawks bench exploded. Every single member of the team leaped to their feet. Most into the air. They threw up hand gestures. They yelled. They grinned. All of it combined amounted to a bellowing celebration of their adored teammate.
“We were all very hyped for him,” sophomore guard Sterling McClanahan said.
HYPE TRAIN: The Hawks bench celebrates after Zach Shamieh made his second three-pointer against the Ohlone Renegades on Feb. 14. The team all wanted Shamieh to get the chance to start his first career game on Sophomore Night. (Photo by Jakob Arnarsson/ The Express)
The celebration didn’t stem from surprise. They knew Shamieh could shoot. He’d cook them in practice on several occasions.
Their excitement originated in their collective understanding of what the moment meant for their teammate. Their brother. Their captain.
Who was finally, after 24 games coming off the bench, getting his chance to make his first collegiate start.
The decision wasn’t made to be charitable. Shamieh earned this moment. He’s not an average bench warmer — coming to practice, following a routine and then cheering from the sideline. His title of team captain comes from his teammates, who voted for him before the season started as an acknowledgment of the work he puts in.
They trust him. Respect him. It stems from his work ethic and mentality. While the Hawks possess vocal leaders such as McClanahan, Shamieh takes a more silent approach.
He carries himself like a winner. Despite not playing significant minutes, he’s an integral part of the team’s success this season. His everyday approach encapsulates the Hawks program.
“This is a person that’s been loyal to the program, a great student-athlete and representative of the men’s basketball program,” head coach James Giacomazzi said. “Super intelligent, hard worker, shows up with a positive attitude every single day. We wanted to hear his name called on the loudspeaker. He deserved it.”
This wasn’t a normal regular-season start. The Hawks matchup against the Ohlone Renegades on Feb. 14., marked their Sophomore Night. All of the respective two-year players would be honored before the game, with added friends and family in the stands.
A day before the matchup, Shamieh found out he wouldn’t be sitting in his usual bench spot for the occasion. Giacomazzi pulled Shamieh aside and informed him he would join the starting lineup. Once the news was broken, it was impossible for him to contain his emotions. This is what all the work had been for.
That night, he couldn’t sleep. He tried taking a nap before the game but to no avail. The nerves, excitement and anticipation flooding his mind made it impossible to rest.
“It means everything,” Shamieh said. “I’ve worked really hard and I love James (Giacomazzi) and Ravi (Bhambhra, assistant coach) and all the team. It’s just been a blessing to be here. I kept my head down and just glad to have this opportunity.”
During the flow of the season, Shamieh is tasked with leading a team he rarely gets to go to war with. Instead of sulking at his low-minutes, Giacomazzi said he has taken the mindset of a winner. He’s dedicated to the team’s success, even if he doesn’t always get a direct contribution.
“It’s not hard for me,” Shamieh said. “I’m so close with them, and when they’re succeeding, I feel like I’m succeeding too.”
CAPTAIN ZACH: Zach Shamieh, left, drives to the basket after getting his first collegiate start (right) on Sophomore Night. He scored a season-high six points against the Ohlone Renegades. (Photo by Alan Lewis/ The Express)
That dedication is what cultivated the Hawks response to Shamieh’s three, who scored a season-high six points. Practicing hard, being present, being a leader, all while struggling to see the court consistently is hard. Doing so while staying on top of schoolwork is even harder.
But Shamieh has proven to be diligent in the classroom as well. He balances the often-challenging role of student-athlete, earning a 4.0 GPA towards his computer science degree while consistently pushing his fellow Hawks.
His teammates look up to his example of how to live a double life. That respect became central in their decision to have him as one of their leaders.
One such teammate was McClanahan, who has known Shamieh since middle school. They played AAU ball together nearly a decade ago for the Fairfield Ballers.
“He’s really down to earth, very humble,” McClanahan said. “That’s why he was picked as a captain. He just wants the best for the team. He’s selfless. He’s a great guy off the court.”
The Hawks wished to reward that selflessness with their own. The team holds six sophomores — one too many to fit in a starting lineup. When approached with the question of who was willing to sacrifice their spot, to miss out on a career moment they could never get back, all five sophomores wished to be benched. They all wanted to be the ones to give Shamieh his moment.
Ultimately, it was Elijah Mobley, the team’s leading scorer, who started on the bench. After two years, 24 games, 32 points and 8 made threes, Shamieh stood on the court at tip-off. The late hours putting up shots, the dedication to his studies, his commitment to being an example to his teammates — all had paid off.
“The biggest lesson is just control what you can control,” Shamieh said. “Doing the right things will (pay off). It might not be right away, but in time it’s gonna end up rewarding you.”
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TOP PHOTO: The night belonged to Zach Shamieh. The beloved sophomore, who was voted team captain, got a fitting send-off in his final home game on Feb. 14, 2025 at Las Positas College. (Photo by Jakob Arnarsson/ The Express)
Jakob Arnarsson is the Managing Editor and Sports Editor of The Express. Follow him on X, formally Twitter, @JakobA2004
