Despite the well-placed billboards around the Inland Empire, the California Baptist University men’s basketball team isn’t just one player.

Sure, Dominique Daniels, Jr., is an electrifying scorer who averaged 19.2 points per game last season, but head coach Rick Croy said the team around him is much deeper and more talented than ever before.

“Dom is special but you have to have a number of different guys lead your team in scoring on various nights (and) a number of different guys grab the most rebounds,” Croy said. “You’re obviously going to have your guys that are incredibly consistent — you need them if you’re going to win a championship — but we believe this group is our best shot yet.”

Daniels and Co. return as CBU opens the 2024-25 NCAA Division I season at home against Incarnate Word on Monday at 7 p.m.

The 5-foot-10 shooting guard missed the final 12 games of the season after sustaining a knee injury in a 61-60 loss to Seattle University on homecoming night at the Dale E. and Sarah Ann Fowler Arena.

CBU went on to lose eight of its next 10 games and following a 74-63 win over Utah Valley in the first round of the WAC tournament, the Lancers lost by 24 points to Seattle in the quarterfinals.

“We had won five in a row in conference play then Dom got hurt and we didn’t finish the way we wanted to,” Croy said. “I think everyone involved learned a lot and now it’s time to go do it.”

Returning alongside Daniels is elite rebounder Kendal Coleman and Brantley Stevenson, the Riverside native and Etiwanda High School graduate who transferred to CBU before last year after playing two seasons at Cal Poly.

“For this climate, our returning pieces are pretty darn good,” Croy said. “Coleman has really improved and so has Stevenson, and I think we have three guys right there that are going to be important for us.”

Coleman, a 6-foot-8 power forward, averaged six points and 6.3 rebounds per game in his first season after transferring from LSU.

“He’s already a great rebounder with a tremendous work ethic and he’s really improved as an offensive player,” Croy said. “He’s working to get better defensively each day.”

Stevenson was third on the team in minutes (952) and three-point shooting (34.2 percent) last season.

“The way he’s going about his business this year he’s stronger, he’s more efficient and he wants to win,” Croy said.

Two incoming transfers — 6-9 forward A.J. Braun from Wright State and 6-6 guard Sam Silverstein from Harvard — are making immediate impacts.

“(Braun) is a great finisher and Sam’s smart, he’s tough and he’s a great leader,” Croy said. “I think it’s always a great sign when a guy comes in as a transfer and he sees himself as a leader right away and his teammates see him that way, too.”

The Lancers host their first six games then play their next six away from home.

“We have a group that really wants to do it together and I believe you’ll see different guys step up, and that’s how it’s got to be if you want to compete for a conference championship in the WAC,” Croy said.