SAN MARCOS — Late Wednesday night at the Gimnasio de Mexicali, Baja California, remnants of the University of Saint Katherine men’s basketball team came together for an unofficial final game.
An exhibition contest with a 10 p.m. tip-off time against the Trigueros del Valle of the Circuito de Baloncesto del Pacífico (CIBAPAC), a low-division league of professional basketball in northwest Mexico.
The gym, more like an airplane hangar than a basketball court, had a slippery floor, one rim bent at an inhospitable angle for shooters and an evening heat of more than 100 degrees, making the game an unceremonious but memorable end for USK athletics.
The game had to be pushed back two hours to accommodate the schedule of a local men’s recreational league.
“We really are a family at Saint Katherine’s men’s basketball,” said Christopher Partida, a graduate assistant since 2020 whose responsibilities included scheduling games against international teams and the team’s head coach in Mexico. “The school shut down and we were all down about the situation so I decided to make this game happen alongside our other graduate assistant Cesar Meza. This really brought us even closer as a brotherhood.”
With Partida as head coach, seven players made the trip across the border: seniors from this year’s team, Chris Harper and David Odinigwe; A’dorian Cherry, a 2024 incoming freshman; assistant coach Jacob Durham; former USK hooper Kody Clouet and his brother Kasey, a Long Island University volleyball player; and Meza, who spent this season as a graduate assistant after the previous three as an undersized Firebird guard.
The USK group walked over the border in Calexico and was then transported by van to and from the border by representatives of a local college, CETYS Universidad.
“We brought a really good team,” Partida said. “[Local pro teams] had scouts there interested in both Kody Clouet and Cesar Meza. I could see Chris Harper getting signed.”
Wearing black mismatched USK jerseys, the Firebirds side trailed Trigueros del Valle in a physical, fast-paced first half, 29-28, before putting together a more commanding second half, winning 63-52.
“We were already down 15-0 going into the game,” Partida said in good humor. “The court was incredibly slippery and they weren’t calling blatant and obvious fouls. As grown men we had to just get over that and understand this is the highest level of homecourt advantage. We had to play chess – credit to the boys for showing that mental fortitude.”
During the livestream, at various points in the game, Partida could be heard shouting, “Travel, that’s a travel.”
“The event overall was a dream come true,” said Meza. “It was a hard environment – a bunch of things to overcome. The refs weren’t calling anything but that was expected. They weren’t the most talented group of basketball players I’ve ever played against but they played hard. They gave us their all for the entire game – the last 30 seconds they were down 15 and were still trapping us.”
Compounding the homecourt refs’ problems, the court’s traction was poor, and Harper had to sit out most of the game, leaving only one player on the bench.
“Chris Harper had no traction with his shoes and he said ‘bro I am going to take this one for the team I am not effective keep A’dorian in,’” Partida said. “I became a better coach last night. That’s professional basketball outside of the United States. You are going to run into those things.”
A scattering of local fans stayed up late, coming to the gym to support the Trigueros del Valle.
“Seeing how involved the community is with the team was cool,” said Meza. “[Mexicali] is a small area but a lot of people came to the game.”
“People were asking Jacob Durham for autographs at the end of the game,” added Partida. “We were treated with the utmost respect.”
According to Partida, only two of the 2023-24 USK men’s team players with remaining eligibility have found new schools for the coming academic year. Partida and Meza hope the exhibition game will enhance their resumes and increase exposure.
Meza had planned on returning next season to USK as a full-fledged assistant coach, but with the school shuttered, he is now working on securing a Mexican passport and a contract as a pro player in Mexico.
“It’s hard overseas to be an American, as long as I get the passport, I’ve been told I’ll be on a team,” he said. “I am trying to save up money and put in work on the basketball court and in the weight room. It’s a different level. I am trying to get better as a smaller guard at finishing [at the basket.] and shooting consistency off the dribble and catch.”
Partida has started interviewing for head coaching jobs at the Junior College level.
“I’ve been going crazy these past weeks [since USK closed] not having basketball,” he said. “[USK] played 14 different NCAA DI colleges. We almost beat Northridge. We were up on SDSU after seven minutes. When you experience that, it’s an addicting feeling. I am rubbing my fingers right now. It’s like you want to drink blood.”
