Chabot Men Primed For More Success In Coast-North

The Chabot men’s basketball team, ranked No. 13 in the state, completed an outstanding preseason with a win over host No. 17 San Jose City, 78-71, on Jan. 3.
The Glads (11-3) will host No. 19 Ohlone at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 8 in their Coast-North opener. The powerful conference boasts an impressive six teams ranked in the state’s top 20.
But Chabot is well prepared after a tough preseason schedule, with losses only to No. 30 West LA, No. 5 West Valley, the reigning state champion, and No. 8 Santiago Canyon.
The Gladiators are entering the season with a reloaded roster, combining talented sophomores with a promising group of freshmen. After a successful 2023-2024 campaign (21-8) that saw seven sophomores graduate, six of whom received scholarships, the Gladiators are now focused on continuing their success in the Coast-North.
The loss of standouts like MVP All-State selection Zach Broadous (now at Cal Poly Pomona) and Defensive Player of the Year Noah Thomas (at Arkansas Monticello) presents challenges, but the program is primed for a strong finish.
Against San Jose, the Glads were led by sophomore point guard Marcellus Edwards, of San Francisco, who had 21 points, six rebounds and an assist. He was a clutch 11 of 13 from the free throw line.
Edwards, a 6'3 floor general is averaging 13 points, 4 rebounds, and 3 assists per game after earning 1st Team All-Conference honors as a freshman. He has continued to improve, and his leadership will be crucial to the Gladiators’ success.
Standout 6-5 freshman guard Zion Yeargin (Salesian) added 21 points and four rebounds against San Jose. He was 2 for 3 from 3-point range, and is averaging 20 points, 6 rebounds and 3 assists per game. He has 53% shooting from the field and 40% from beyond the arc.
Yeargin is regarded as one of the top freshman guards in the state. His backcourt teammate, 6-foot-3 Amani Johnson, is also making a significant impact, averaging 13 points, 5 rebounds, and 2 assists while shooting an impressive 91% from the free-throw line.
The Gladiators also boast a strong frontcourt with 6'7 forward Oz Savage from Fremont High in Oakland, who is contributing 10 points and 4 rebounds per game, and 6'4 guard Aaiden Burris from Eureka, who is adding 7 points and 4 rebounds per contest.
A key addition this season is 6'10, 230-pound freshman center Christian Wilson from Hartford, Connecticut, who has been the team’s top rebounder and is a major presence inside with his high-level talent. His size and skill set will help anchor the Gladiators, defensively and offensively.
Despite being a relatively young team with only four sophomores, the Gladiators have already been battle-tested, playing nine road games.
The Glads also bested Gavilan 86-60 on Dec. 21 to improve to 10-3. Yeargin led the way with 21 points, Johnson had 15 points with six rebounds, three assists and two steals. Edwards added 13 points, four steals, three assists and three rebounds.
On Dec. 20, Chabot edged Cabrillo 84-82 as Edwards poured in 22 points, going 3 for 4 on 3s, along with four assists and four rebounds. Yeargin had a massive double-double with 15 points and 15 boards.
The Glads will continue conference play at De Anza on Friday, Jan. 10.