{"id":293736,"date":"2026-04-30T20:46:15","date_gmt":"2026-04-30T20:46:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/293736\/"},"modified":"2026-04-30T20:46:15","modified_gmt":"2026-04-30T20:46:15","slug":"san-joaquin-memorials-sajjin-sidhu-named-fresno-bee-player-of-the-year","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/293736\/","title":{"rendered":"San Joaquin Memorial\u2019s Sajjin Sidhu named Fresno Bee player of the year"},"content":{"rendered":"

For Sajjin Sidhu, the dream was never just about winning.<\/p>\n

It was about representing something bigger.<\/p>\n

\u201cGrowing up in Fresno \u2026 putting on for the city,\u201d Sidhu said. \u201cWe play a lot of tournaments out of town, and just getting recognition for the Valley is always super important. We don\u2019t get as much love as we deserve.\u201d<\/p>\n

This season, Sidhu made sure that changed.<\/p>\n

The San Joaquin Memorial senior guard capped a remarkable year by leading the Panthers to a CIF Division II state championship, earning The Fresno Bee Player of the Year honors and cementing his place among the Central Valley\u2019s elite.<\/p>\n

When told of the award, Sidhu admitted the moment felt surreal.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s been like a dream,\u201d he said. \u201cIt means everything. \u2026 It\u2019s such an honor and a blessing.\u201d<\/p>\n

Memorial\u2019s path to a state title wasn\u2019t without adversity. A disappointing showing in the section playoffs could have defined the Panthers\u2019 season, but instead, it fueled them.<\/p>\n

Sidhu\u2019s mindset never wavered.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy mentality is always to win, just do whatever it takes for our team to win,\u201d he said. \u201cOur guys were really bought in this year. Our chemistry was amazing. Off the court, we\u2019re all best friends.\u201d<\/p>\n

That bond became the foundation of a championship run.<\/p>\n

With a senior-heavy core and a roster that embraced accountability, the Panthers found their rhythm when it mattered most \u2014 in the state playoffs.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe always said we\u2019re our brother\u2019s keeper,\u201d Sidhu said. \u201cThat just means having each other\u2019s back.\u201d<\/p>\n

In crucial moments, it was often Sidhu with the ball, and the responsibility.<\/p>\n

Whether calming teammates during tense stretches or delivering in clutch situations, he embraced the pressure.<\/p>\n

\u201cI love it,\u201d Sidhu said. \u201cI love big games. I want the ball in close situations because I feel like I\u2019m effective there. That\u2019s what I\u2019ve worked for.\u201d<\/p>\n

Basketball has been part of his life since he was 4 years old, shaped by family roots and long hours in the gym.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy dad would take me to his games, and I\u2019d be on the side doing drills,\u201d Sidhu said. \u201cIt\u2019s just something we\u2019ve always done.\u201d<\/p>\n

T<\/p>\n

At 6-foot-4, with a polished all-around game and a reputation for thriving under pressure, Sidhu now turns his attention to the next level. College programs have taken notice, and he\u2019s carefully weighing his options.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m just being patient,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Coach of the Year: Mark Hatton, Tulare Union<\/p>\n

Mark Hatton has long been a pillar of success for the Tribe.<\/p>\n

Whether teaching his players how to create scoring opportunities or emphasizing tough, disciplined defense, his teams consistently buy into his system.<\/p>\n

That standard has become synonymous with Tulare Union basketball.<\/p>\n

Year after year, his players respond with results on the court.<\/p>\n

In December, Hatton became the all-time winningest high school boys basketball coach, according to section historian Bob Barnett. The milestone added to an already remarkable season, as the Tribe went on to capture a section title.<\/p>\n

His players punctuated the year with a championship performance that reflected the culture he has built.<\/p>\n

Large School Player of the Year: Des Patton, Sr., PG, Buchanan<\/p>\n

Patton was the steady force behind the Bears\u2019 success all season long. Showcasing both leadership and skill, he guided Buchanan to another Tri-River Athletic Conference title.<\/p>\n

Although the Bears fell short of a section championship, Patton consistently demonstrated control and composure on the court, delivering standout performances throughout the year.<\/p>\n

Buchanan finished with an impressive 27-5 overall record and a 9-1 mark in TRAC play.<\/p>\n

For his efforts, Patton was named TRAC Player of the Year.<\/p>\n

Medium School Player of the Year: Brayden Stevenson, G, Sr., Tulare Union<\/p>\n

Several key contributors made the Tribe\u2019s season memorable, and Stevenson stood out among them. His performance came as no surprise to his teammates \u2014 it was expected.<\/p>\n

Stevenson displayed toughness on both ends of the floor, averaging 18.1 points and 3.4 assists per game. His resilience defined his season, as he battled through injuries and continued to compete at a high level.<\/p>\n

He broke the school\u2019s all-time scoring record and helped lead Tulare Union to the Central Section Division III championship, cementing his place in the program\u2019s history.<\/p>\n

Small School Player of the Year: Daymen Tamayo, G, Sr., Coalinga<\/p>\n

Following Coalinga\u2019s Central Section Division V title, Horned Toads coach Jason McFarlin couldn\u2019t say enough about his senior guard \u2014 and for good reason. Tamayo delivered clutch performances all season long.<\/p>\n

He proved it once again in the section championship, scoring 26 points in a 63-62 victory over Santa Maria.<\/p>\n

Tamayo finished the season averaging 26.1 points, 8 rebounds, and 5 assists per game, leading Coalinga with consistency, production, and poise.<\/p>\n

The Bee\u2019s All-Stars<\/p>\n

Kai Alfa, G, Sr., Fresno<\/p>\n

McKae Amundsen, G, Sr., Clovis North<\/p>\n

Justin Armbrister, G., Sr., Sanger West<\/p>\n

Jayden Bergman, G., Soph., Central Valley Christian<\/p>\n

Von Bibioff, G\/F, Jr., Kerman<\/p>\n

Keyvon Burcher, G, Sr., McLane<\/p>\n

Cruz Campos, G., Sr., Granite Hills<\/p>\n

Gabriel Carbajal, G., Sr., Monache<\/p>\n

Ja\u2019Vance Coleman, G, Sr., Bullard<\/p>\n

Michael Corrales, G, Sr., Orosi<\/p>\n

Isaiah Colunga, G., Sr., Strathmore<\/p>\n

Elias Gish, G., Sr., Clovis North<\/p>\n

Micah Fox, F, Sr., Lemoore<\/p>\n

Brayden Harris, C, Sr., Buchanan<\/p>\n

Michael Harris, F, Sr., Hoover<\/p>\n

Landen Haynes, G, Sr., Porterville<\/p>\n

Jensen Hirschkorn, F, Sr., Kingsburg<\/p>\n

Jace Kellogg, G, Sr., Clovis West<\/p>\n

Lucas Lucero, G, Sr., Sanger<\/p>\n

Leon Madec, G\/F, Sr., Fresno Christian<\/p>\n

Giovanni Navarro, G, Sr., Mendota<\/p>\n

Pamir Olivier, G, Jr., Hoover<\/p>\n

Kharon Parks, G. Jr., Sanger West<\/p>\n

Josiah Perry, G, Soph., Buchanan<\/p>\n

Ayden Plyman, G., Sr., Exeter<\/p>\n

Cobi Posas, F., Jr., Roosevelt<\/p>\n

Demaje Riley, G, Sr., Tulare Union<\/p>\n

Jordan Ruffin, F\/C, Jr., Sanger West<\/p>\n

Ty Schalk, G, Jr., San Joaquin Memorial<\/p>\n

Demetrius Simon, G., Sr., McLane<\/p>\n

Shawn Smith, G., Sr., Summit Charter<\/p>\n

Anthony Smith, G., Soph., Clovis<\/p>\n

Parker Spees, G\/F, Sr., San Joaquin Memorial<\/p>\n

Rhead Sweeney, G\/F, Soph., Buchanan<\/p>\n

Josiah Wilson, G, Soph., Garza<\/p>\n

Related Stories from Fresno Bee<\/p>\n


\n \"Profile
\n <\/a><\/p>\n

Anthony Galaviz<\/a><\/p>\n

The Fresno Bee<\/p>\n

Anthony Galaviz writes about sports for The Fresno Bee. He covers the Las Vegas Raiders, high schools, boxing, MMA and junior colleges. He\u2019s been with The Bee since 1997 and attended Fresno City College before graduating from Fresno State with a major in journalism and a minor in criminology.
\n Support my work with a digital subscription<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"For Sajjin Sidhu, the dream was never just about winning. It was about representing something bigger. \u201cGrowing up…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":293737,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[31],"tags":[112,114,113],"class_list":["post-293736","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-fresno","tag-fresno","tag-fresno-headlines","tag-fresno-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/293736","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=293736"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/293736\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/293737"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=293736"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=293736"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=293736"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}