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Pointing The Way, Part II
Sophomore Justin Joyner is expected to get the nod as UCSB's starting point guard for the second straight year. A selfless playmaker for whom scoring is secondary, Joyner is the perfect facilitator for the Gauchos. Already one of the best floor generals in the Big West Conference, he could also develop into one of the league's best backcourt defenders.
Pointing The Way, Part I
Joyner became the first UCSB freshman to start at the point guard position since the 2000-01 season when Jacoby Atako took over midway through the year. Joyner, who was just months removed from helping his high school to a California State Division I championship, generally played like an upperclassman. He had one of the best assist-to-turnover ratios on the team, passing for a team-leading 81 assists while committing just 54 turnovers, and he became the first freshman to lead the Gauchos in assists in more than five years. Finally, Joyner's 81 assists were the second most ever by a UCSB freshman.
Fresh Honor
Joyner was named to the Big West's All-Freshman Team following a season in which he averaged 4.8 points, 2.6 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 1.3 steals per game. He joined James Powell, who was also selected to the team. The Joyner-Powell tandem became the first pair of Gauchos to make the All-Freshman Team since Branduinn Fullove and Nick Jones were chosen in 2000-01. In fact, it was just the fourth time in school history that two UCSB players were named to the league's All-Freshman Team.
A Perfect 10
Last season, in UCSB's late-December game against Big West rival Cal State Fullerton, Joyner did not attempt a field goal and scored just four points in 37 minutes. He was, however, one of the key factors in an important Gaucho win. In the win over the Titans, Joyner became the first UCSB player in eight seasons to record 10 or more assists in a game. He had 10 assists, to go along with five rebounds and a pair of steals, while turning the ball over just three times. The 10 assists by Joyner were the most recorded by a Gaucho freshman in more than 25 years.
A Scoring Eruption
Joyner averaged 4.8 points per game in 2006-07 and the vast majority of his contributions came in other areas. For one three game stretch, however, he became a scoring demon and it could not have come at a better time. After losing consecutive home games against UC Davis and Cal Poly, the Gauchos faced the prospect of playing consecutive road games at Cal State Northridge, Pacific and UC Davis. In the game at Northridge, Joyner made 4-of-5 shots overall, including 3-of-4 from three-point range, and scored a career-high 15 points as UCSB snapped its two-game losing streak. In the next game, at Pacific, he hit 3-of-5 shots overall, including 2-of-3 from three-point range, and he scored 10 points as the Gauchos ended a three-game losing streak in Stockton. Joyner completed his scoring binge in the game at Davis when he made 5-of-9 shots, including 2-of-4 from three-point territory, to score 12 points in another win. In the three games, he tallied 37 points, an average of 12.3 points, while making 12-of-19 field goal attempts overall, 63.2%, and 7-of-11 from beyond the three-point stripe, 63.6%.
2007-08
Sophomore Justin Joyner is expected to be UCSB's starting point guard for the second straight year...A very good floor leader, Joyner is also an outstanding passer and a better than average defender...The Gauchos don't need him to score to be successful.
2006-07
Joyner played in 28 of 29 games in 2006-07, starting 26...Selected to the Big West All-Freshman Team...He was the first freshman to start at the point for UCSB in six years...Averaged 4.8 points, 2.9 assists, 2.6 rebounds and 1.3 steals per game...His 81 total assists were the most on the team as were his 36 steals...Joyner's assist total ranked third all-time among Gaucho freshmen and his steals were the second most ever by a freshman...Joyner played 797 minutes during his first season, the third highest total on the team...He had a season-high 10 assists in a win over Cal State Fullerton...Joyner's second highest total, seven, came in the win at UNLV...Had six assists in games against Cal State Northridge and San Jose State, and at Cal Poly...He had five or more assists six times...In fact, Joyner had four or more assists 10 times and the Gauchos went 9-1 in those games...Had the second best assist-to-turnover ratio on the team with 1.5 assists for every turnover...Scored 10 or more points four times, including a personal best 15 in a win at Cal State Northridge...Three of his double-figure scoring efforts came in consecutive games, wins at Northridge, Pacific and UC Davis, and over that span Joyner averaged 12.3 points while making 12-of-19 shots overall, 63.2%, and 7-of-11 from three-point range, 63.6%...For the season, he shot 36.8% overall and 27.3% from three-point range...Missed his first 14 three-pointers and finished the season by making 18-of-52, 34.6%...Made a trio of three-pointers in the win at Northridge...Had two three-point baskets in four other games...Joyner had a high of three steals five times and he had two or more 13 times, including a stretch of five straight games...Had three steals in three straight games at one point, the three consecutive games in which he scored in double-figures...Although Joyner averaged just 2.6 rebounds per game, he did have four or more seven times, including a season-high seven in wins against Fresno State and at UC Davis.
High School
Joyner attended De La Salle High School in Concord, Calif., and started at point guard for its California State Division I championship team...Joyner made a pair of free throws with 7.7 seconds remaining in the state title game to help De La Salle secure a 43-40 win...Helped his team to a 32-1 overall record and a No. 3 national ranking in 2005-06...Joyner was selected Division I All-State by CalHiSports.com, First Team All-East Bay by the Contra Costa Times, First Team All-Bay Area by the Oakland Tribune, Second Team All-Bay area by the San Francisco Chronicle and Second Team All-Northern California by NorCal Preps...He was named Player of the Year in the Bay Valley Athletic League as well as First Team All-BVAL...As s senior, he averaged 10.4 points, 5.6 assists and 5.2 rebounds per game...He also led De La Salle in three-point baskets with 66...Made 41.0% of his three-point attempts...Scored a career-high 25 points against Ygnacio Valley HS and Hogan HS, both during his junior season...Had his career-high 12 assists as a senior in a state playoff game against Antioch HS...Joyner's career-high of nine rebounds came in a state playoff game against Kennedy HS during his sophomore season...Had three games with six three-point baskets, once as a senior against Oak Ridge HS and two as a junior against Hogan HS and Ygnacio Valley HS...Joyner averaged 10.1 points, 5.1 assists and 4.3 rebounds as a junior and 5.3 points, 4.6 assists and 4.2 rebounds as a sophomore...In his final three years at De La Salle, the program won three Bay Valley Athletic League titles, two Northern California championships and one California State Championship...Coached by Frank Allocco.
Personal
Justin Keith Joyner was born February 25, 1988 in Martinez, Calif....The son of Brian Joyner and Cheryl Zocchi...His most memorable moment in sports was when his high school won the state championship and the celebration that followed...His favorite movies include "Rocky", "Braveheart", "He Got Game" and "Friday Night Lights"...Jason Kidd, Frank Allocco, Jr. and Michael Jordan are his favorite athletes...Hopes to major in communication.
