MERCED, Calif. – The University of California, Merced men's basketball team added ten players to its 2023-24 roster, as announced by head coach Kevin Pham.
Jaden Lebel, a six-foot-four guard, will transfer to UC Merced after one year at San Diego City College. Lebel played in 26 games at SDCC for a Knights team that went 24-6 overall and advanced to the third round of the CCCAA SoCal Regional Playoffs. The San Diego, Calif., native averaged 3.1 PPG and 1.4 RPG while shooting 40% from beyond the arc. Lebel prepped at Cathedral Catholic and scored over 1500 career points. Among many accolades, Lebel was selected to the San Diego Section All-CIF First Team and the All-Coastal Team. Twice, Cathedral Catholic was the San Diego Open Division CIF Championship Runner-Up.
Jon Taylor hails from The King's Academy in Sunnyvale. Taylor left Kings Academy as the high school's all-time leading scorer and the all-time leader in triple-doubles. He was a 2X West Athletic Bay All-League First Team selection and led his team to a 24-4 record and a Central Coast Section Championship his senior year. Taylor and the King's Academy also advanced to the NorCal Division III semifinals in 2023. The 6'0" incoming freshman guard was a four-year varsity starter.
Blake Hudson played his senior year for Dougherty Valley High School in San Ramon and helped lead the Wildcats to a North Coast Section Open Division Championship. In addition, Hudson's squad won the East Bay Athletic League Championship behind his 20-point, 15-rebound performance. The high-flying Hudson earned East Bay Athletic League honorable mention recognition. Hudson stands at 6'3".
Evin Goodwin, out of Salesian College Preparatory, was a key player for the Pride and was named Salesian's Sixth-Man of the Year on a loaded perennial powerhouse his senior year. Goodwin led the team in charges taken and in free throw percentage and was a four-year varsity player for the Pride that went 33-1 in Tri-Country Rock Athletic League action with the now Bobcat on the roster. This past year, Salesian went 10-0 in the TCL, finished third in the North Coast Section, and played in the Northern California Division One Championship game. Goodwin stands at 6'1".
A 6'6" guard, Brandon Harmon played two years at Cabrillo College in Aptos, Calif., where he averaged 8.3 points, 5.0 rebounds, 2.2 assists, and 1.1 steals per game for a CCCAA NorCal Playoff team. Harmon also earned all-defensive honors and shot the ball at .497 clip in his two years at the junior college. As a sophomore, Harmon shot 51% and was the Seawolves only sophomore to be ranked top five on the team in PPG, RPG, and APG. Prior to Cabrillo, Harmon averaged 17 PPG at Milwaukee Golda Meir High School.
Cyprus Graham is an incoming freshman from Shadow Hills High School. The 6'4" guard earned All-Desert Sun Team honors and All-Desert Empire First Team All-League honors after averaging 15 points, six rebounds, and four assists a game. In 2021-22, Graham helped lead Shadow Hills High School to an undefeated season in league play. Graham was also a 4.0 honorable student.
Skylar Robinson will be a senior for the Bobcats after playing last year at MSU Denver and prior to that at Chabot College. A forward, Robinson has scored over 450 points at the collegiate level and had his best year as a sophomore averaging 9.2 PPG. That same year, he averaged six rebounds and 0.9 blocks per game. A year ago at MSU Denver, Robinson averaged 2.3 PPG, 1.8 RPG and posted season-high's of eleven points and eight rebounds. The 6'8" forward from San Ramon, Calif., has played in 78 career games while earning 29 starts. Robinson played his high school ball at Dublin. Other notables include being a JUCO All-American Invitational Showcase All-Star and off-court awards Striving Black Brothers Coalition President, Man of Inspiration, and Man of the Year at Chabot.
Landon Edmond joins the Bobcats from Dougherty Valley High School in San Ramon and helped lead the Wildcats to a North Coast Section Open Division Championship. In addition, Edmond's squad won the East Bay Athletic League Championship. The 6'6" incoming freshman earned East Bay Athletic League honorable mention recognition.
The 6'10" Austin Dewes hails from Alhambra High School in Martinez, Calif. While there, Dewes averaged 15 points, 10 rebounds, and 2.6 blocks per game. Dewes was named the Alhambra Boys Basketball Player of the Year and a Diablo Valley Athletic League All-First Team selection. Dewes is the Bobcats tallest commit since Jose Ramos in 2017.
Aidan Sevilla joins the Bobcats with two years of eligibility remaining. Sevilla averaged 3.3 points, 1.9 assists, and 1.1 rebounds per game last year at Regis University while playing in 27 of 29 games and earning 15 starts. With Sevilla on the roster, Regis played to a 32-27 record. Prior to Regis, Sevilla played at Dougherty Valley High School and played a big role averaging 22 PPG in his senior year. The 6'0" guard earned All-League First Team honors and was twice named to the All-Bay Area Team. Sevilla has made honor roll his first two years of being a collegiate student athlete.
