Sophomore guard Richard Banks sat down in a foldable chair in front of the bright blue lights. The camera was on, microphone clipped to his collar. He closed his eyes.
In 2025, Banks was accompanied by sophomore guard Jaden Woodard, both of whom were freshmen at the time. Sophomore guards Elijah Mobley, Jorren Edmonds, and Sterling McClanahan led by example. Banks and Woodard served as key bench contributors to the second Elite Eight run in program history.
They remember the heartbreak of their season-ending loss against Citrus College. A blowout that made a historic season feel underwhelming.
Those freshmen were unaware that, just like the sophomores before them, they would have another chance to lead a Hawks squad back to the Elite Eight.
Banks opened his eyes. The memories flooded back. He relived every little mistake, every off moment. The interview question came at him fast: What mindset did he keep as he and Woodard took the chance to leave an impact?
The answer came without hesitation.
“Kill,” he said. “Just kill.”
With a dominant 25-3 regular-season record, the Las Positas men’s basketball team secured its spot in the quarterfinals of the 2026 California Community College Athletic Association NORCAL Regionals. Seeded seventh, the season ended with a grueling loss against City College of San Francisco, leaving them with fuel for the Hawks’ playoff run. Woodard and Banks have led the team to their outstanding record this season as two of only three sophomores on the court.
“They’ve been there before,“ said head coach James Giacomazzi. “We were able to play well in those moments … Every little mistake gets magnified. And I think the more that they can speak to our team about that, and the more that they understand that themselves, the better we’re going to be.”
The team automatically advanced to the second round, where they will face 10th-seeded Sierra College, a team Las Positas did not face in the regular season.
The largest hindrance, which could serve as the Hawks’ achilles heel, is their three-point shooting. They rank 65th overall. The three games they lost were telling. Shooting was the team’s main issue.
“It’s going to be hard to advance if you can’t make shots,” Giacomazzi said. “When we make eight, nine, or ten threes … we’re really effective. When we don’t, it’s a difficult night.”
If the Hawks’ practices pay off, they have a chance to make the Elite Eight for the third time in program history. Banks and Woodard lead the floor with the opportunity to carry the torch even further, leaving their marks on the program.
Ending the regular season, the Hawks expected a top seed. The final coaches’s poll reflected those ambitions, placing them fifth in the state. Only two NorCal teams ranked higher. When the Hawks found out, it only added more fuel to their fire.
“I do think we were seeded too low,” Banks said. “But I like a good underdog story.”
It wasn’t anticipated after such a good regular season run. Regardless, it placed them high enough to benefit from a first-round bye.
“I think it’s insane that we’re seeded seventh because we’re fifth in the state,” Woodard said. “But it doesn’t matter, because at the end of the day, we’re just going to have to beat a team no matter what. We could just go out there and just prove that we’re not a seventh seed and just win games.”
THROW-DOWN: The Hawks go into playoffs with the best regular season record in school history, 25-3. Led by Coach Giacamazzi – the seventh seeded LPC hopes to make a run this year and go beyond last year’s team – which came up short in the 2025 Elite Eight round. (Photo by Ian Kapsalis/The Express)
As the seventh seed, Las Positas will host Sierra for their first playoff matchup.
Sierra is a team that can score consistently. It finished the season 11th in the state, averaging 83.9 points per game. On top of their high scoring volume, they shoot efficiently, ranking seventh in free throw percentage (73.6%) and third in three-point shooting (38%).
Sierra’s top two scorers, sophomore forward Garret Dutro and sophomore guard Dontrell Johnson, are both within the top 11 scorers in the state. Dutro is 10th in field goals made and 11th in threes made.
If the Hawks advance, they may be tasked with playing another very tough team: the second-seeded Santa Rosa. Santa Rosa plays host to No. 18 Cañada in the second round.
Las Positas has only made its way into the Elite Eight twice in program history, one of those times being last year. A time when freshman Woodard and Banks caught a glimpse of what it takes.
“Last year’s team, we went to Elite Eight,” Giacomazzi said. “They were just super competitive, and the will to win was very, very high … We maximized what we could from our personnel, and I think that’s all you can really ask for.”
Woodard knows what to expect.
“I’m not going to be as nervous as some of the other kids that didn’t really have a lot of playoff experience,” he said. “I’m confident in what I can do.”
On the other hand, Banks said he learned a lesson.
“Don’t settle. That’s what it really taught me,” he said. “We got too complacent in the playoffs, which is what led to a 40‑point [loss], because we went out there thinking that we were just gonna beat everybody. And it showed. It really just showed.”
Beyond relying on experience, the Hawks will need to fill in the cracks. Three-point shooting was the worst of them. The team ranks 85th in made threes while shooting 30.7%. The Hawks are desperate to alleviate their struggles. They dedicate the last twenty minutes of each practice to shooting.
“We shoot after every practice so we can shoot when our legs are dead,” Banks said. “Make 100 threes, 100 free throws … That really helps.”
While Sierra ranks 11th in the state in points per game, their defense isn’t as strong — they rank 52nd in points per game. If the Hawks continue to physically dominate the floor and elevate their shooting gradually, they could contain Sierra.
But for Woodard, it’s familiar. His hometown, Elk Grove, sits near Sierra.
“I played with all the guys from Sierra this summer,” he said. “I’m familiar with some of their players. Either way, we’re going to be prepared.”
That’s the key for every Hawk entering the postseason: preparation. The sophomore Hawks soaring into the postseason must know it isn’t just about leading. It’s about growth. Something Banks and Woodard are seeing lots of, and what may be guiding them through this playoff run.
“We didn’t work all this way up until this time to just lose now,” Woodard said. “(We will) just give it our all, go out and win.”
***
TOP PHOTO: The Hawks enter round two of the 3C2A state tournament as the number seven seed – Saturday Feb. 28, they face the visiting number 10 seeded Sierra. The Hawks are looking to lean on their leaders and recent First Team All-Conference selections: Jaden Woodard (No. 0), Richard Banks (No. 4) and Kodey Weary (No. 21) – as well as honorable mention and All Freshman team selection Ted Bigg-Wither (No. 25) for the chance to move on to the Sweet 16. (Photo by Ian Kapsalis/The Express)
Annie Moore is the Sports Editor of The Express. Follow her on X @SanJosAnnie.
