Point Loma Nazarene men’s hoops boasts best preseason ranking in program history

Men’s basketball returns to The Point on Friday and few familiar faces remain, but the holdovers agree on one thing — this is the most talented team Point Loma Nazarene has fielded in years.

“This is the first time since I’ve been head coach that I’ve had a full cycle to recruit and build a roster,” said Justin Downer, entering his third season as PLNU head coach. “Taking nothing away from the previous groups, it’s been really fun to see how much the program has risen. The type of players we’re attracting now are at a different level than even a couple years ago, and it’s been exciting to be part of that growth.”

A perennial Division II powerhouse, the Sea Lions open the 2025–26 season with their highest national preseason ranking in program history — No. 7 in the NABC Coaches Poll. PLNU has won the PacWest in four straight seasons.

“We have a very specific lens we’re looking through,” Downer said. “We want position-less players who can handle multiple roles, guard multiple positions and help accelerate team development. But we’re also evaluating character that fits Point Loma and fits our program. That focus narrows the pool quickly. We’ve been fortunate to attract some of those guys in this recruiting class.

“The transfer portal is part of everyone’s new reality, and we’ve been able to navigate it without letting it hurt us.”

This year’s roster features five transfers and seven freshmen joining six returners: Jaden Matingou, Tyce Paulsen, Andrew Hommes, Luke Smith, Jake Lifgren and redshirt freshman David Scariano II.

“We’ve got a really good group of guys — really talented,” Paulsen, a junior guard, said. “I’m excited to express more of my game this year instead of just hanging out around the three- point line waiting for my opportunity. I can create a lot more. I’m really looking forward to the season.”

A breakout performer during the Sea Lions’ postseason run to the NCAA West Regional Championship — which ended with a 61-58 loss to Cal State Dominguez Hills — Matingou, now a junior, had back-to-back double-digit scoring games and is expected to take on a larger role in Point Loma’s backcourt this season.

“Jaden is the most unguardable human I’ve ever faced because of his speed and quickness,” Paulsen said. “He’s gotten a lot better controlling his pace. I think he’s going to have a really strong year. The only thing that might hold him back is himself, but as the season goes on, he’ll learn to adapt to what the team needs. He’s going to play a crucial role.”

Lifgren, a six-foot guard and the team’s former leading scorer who has been sidelined for nearly two full seasons following back-to-back ACL tears, is — according to Downer — expected to benefit from having Matingou as the primary ball handler in the backcourt as he re-acclimates to game action.

“Jaden likes the bright lights; we saw that in the NCAA tournament last year,” Downer said. “Jake has never played with a primary ball handler like Jaden Matingou before. Having a guy like Jaden on the ball so much allows Jake to find his footing, both on and off the ball. I think the roster is built in a way that can really support Jake easing back into the game at his own pace.”

Lifgren acknowledged some uncertainty about his game after the long layoff, but echoed Downer’s assessment of the overall talent on the team.

“I might not be the player that I was, or I might be better than the player I was,” Lifgren said. “This is probably the most talented team I’ve been on, and that says a lot — my freshman year we were ranked fourth in the country, and last year we got as high as sixth. I think that speaks to the potential we have this season.”

The Sea Lions’ transfers include Andrew Nagy (Long Beach State), Caden Harris (Chico State), James Nobles (Sonoma State), Jude Harris (Portland) and Jack Wistrcill (Northern Arizona).

“You get a guy like James Nobles from Sonoma State — his school shuts down its athletic department, and he was the leading scorer there,” Downer said. “That’s exactly the type of situation the transfer portal exists for. Caden Harris comes from Chico State — a year ago he was playing for an interim head coach, not the coach who recruited him. We have another player on our roster who had never met his head coach before his official visit.

“When you dig into these recruiting stories,” he continued, “you see why these guys are in the portal. It’s not always about greener grass — sometimes it’s hardship or making a rushed decision. I think we’ve done a good job identifying players who are in the portal for the right reasons.”

Nobles, Nagy and Caden Harris are all expected to open the season in the starting lineup.

“With Jake coming back, we’ll see how that shakes out, but any three of those guys could lead our team in scoring,” Downer said. “They could be the best player at their position in our conference. I’ve been really pleased not only with their talent but also with their work ethic, and they fit right in. If you came to one of our practices in mid-October, it wouldn’t even look like a new team. Those three guys have done a great job meshing and helping us pick up where
we left off.”

In his first two seasons as head coach, Downer won 50 games and was named the 2025 PacWest coach of the year.

The Sea Lions will open the 2025–26 season on Friday at home against Cal State Dominguez Hills, the team that ended their season last year.