Allan Hancock sophomore guard Trenton Lavender has plenty to be thankful for.

He’s thankful for his friends and for his family. But he’s also thankful for an opportunity to play college basketball.

“This team really feels like a family” Lavender said. “They are like my brothers.”

Lavender’s road to Santa Maria didn’t come without some setbacks.

Perseverance led him back to the court, but he’s not taking anything for granted. He leads the Bulldogs men’s basketball team, scoring 14.8 points per game, hoping to reach their fifth straight postseason appearance.

Lavender grew up around basketball courts. His father played at Columbia College in the Sierra Nevada foothills for Denny Aye before transferring to the University of Pacific.

If Denny Aye’s name sounds familiar, that might be bec

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