Sac State’s ‘Bear’ could be the Cherry on top for new-era Hornets hoops
The big bearded guy with the shock of hair on top goes by “Bear,” a childhood nickname that stuck.
Jeremiah Cherry also looks the part of a grizzly: bulky and broad, strong and relentless with a snarl to match if anyone wanders into his territory. And hungry.
Sacramento State’s 6-foot-11, 270-pound senior craves the opportunity to devour defenders in the lane with post moves, or a pass to an open shooter after a double-team, or to thunder-dunk on the run as one regal finisher.
“I love dunking on people,” Cherry said. “That’s my favorite thing. I love to play with my back to the basket, and to run the floor, to rebound, dunk. Anything to help us.”
Cherry stands as the Hornets’ tallest and largest player, and, perhaps, the team’s best player. He is the X-factor for Hornets coach Mike Bibby, the former NBA guard who appreciates the value of a big man with skills and determination.
Cherry led the charge in Sac State’s season opening 103-79 victory over Dominican University of the Bay Area on Tuesday, scoring 17 points to go with 10 rebounds, three blocked shots and three assists. He dunked, too, including landing on a pile of people on the baseline after a flush. There was a lot of Bear on those flattened bystanders, including photographers.
Cherry has quickly become a fan favorite in Hornet Pavilion, which on Friday night was full for a second straight home game. Sacramento State beat Division II Jessup University of Rocklin, 86-76, as Cherry helped lead a balanced attack with 15 points to go with 12 rebounds, three assists and five blocked shots.
Sacramento native Jayden Teat scored 19 points, and fellow guards Mikey Williams and Prophet Johnson had 16 and 15 points, respectively, as Sac State moved to 10-0 all-time against Jessup since the series started in 2003.
Said Bibby of Cherry earlier in the week, “Bear can do it all. We love having Bear. We can’t stop him in practice. Even if we double him, he still gets to the basket. We’re going to really need him.”
Cherry is so used to being called Bear that only his immediate family calls him Jeremiah. Even Hornets public address voice Will Schilling calls him “Bear” after buckets or fouls.
“That’s who I am — Bear,” Cherry said with a smile.
Cherry also resembles one of the best bigs in basketball in Karl-Anthony Towns of the New York Knicks, from the build to the high hair and the cool and calm demeanor. Cherry, like Towns, is as versatile as he is large, with power and finesse to his game.
“Bear is very skilled for a big dude,” said Teat, the Hornets’ sophomore guard. “We play through him, give him the ball, and let him make a play. If they double, we’ll have someone open. He’s very unselfish, and we know he’ll make the right play.”
No scholarship offers out of high school
A San Diego native, Cherry comes from a basketball family. His father, Darnell Cherry, and mother, Danielle Cherry, played the sport in high school and college. Cherry’s older brother, Taeshon, played collegiately and competes professionally overseas.
Cherry was a four-year varsity player at Saint Mary’s Catholic High School in Phoenix, where he got to know Bibby and his family. Bibby grew up in Phoenix. Cherry averaged 16.2 points and 11.3 rebounds as a senior but was not recruited out of high school, in part because the Bear got to be too big weight-wise.
“I have no offers, none,” he said. “I kept on working.”
Cherry averaged 12.5 points and six rebounds at New Mexico Junior College, earning all-regional honors. He was recruited nationally to four-year programs, landing at UNLV, where last season as a junior he averaged 10 points and 5.3 rebounds in 32 starts.
But the Bear Cherry people see today does not resemble the overly big Bear of yesteryear.
“I was overweight in Juco, super overweight, and wasn’t in the best running shape,” Cherry said. “I was 310, my heaviest.”
Cherry’s guilty pleasure food wise are sweets. He smiles at the idea of chowing down on such treats but mostly avoids them so weight doesn’t become a bear of a problem.
“I’m a cookie connoisseur for sure,” Cherry said with a laugh. “I mean, that’s my thing. Cookies can be horrible for a big guy like me, but when they’re homemade from home ... just so good.”
Cherry said he transferred to Sacramento State in large part because of Bibby, the 14-year NBA veteran guard who is in his first season as head coach with the Hornets.
“I’ve known Coach Bibb and his family since I was 15,” Cherry said. “Their family cares about me. That played big role in me coming here. I feel at home here.”
Getting in shape and wanting to be a police officer
If Bibby was something of a father figure, someone who could give it to him straight, then Al Biancani is the stern uncle. Biancani is Sac State’s strength and conditioning coach with a resume that includes working with the Sacramento Kings for 18 years, when he got to know Bibby well.
In Cherry, Biancani saw a player with unlimited potential and the desire to get fit and to be great.
“Bear is my guy, my buddy,” Biancani said. “He’s a good leader, a great leader. He’ll speak up if a teammate is messing up. And as big as that dude is, he can really move and play. I just hope he respects his elders like me.”
Cherry already has a soft spot for Biancani, never mind the grueling conditioning, including countless hours of running that whipped the Hornets into shape.
“I’m in the best shape of my life because of Al,” Cherry said. “Al is my dude. He’s coached the best track runners, the best basketball players, all over the world and in the NBA. I love him, even though he talks a lot of (stuff).”
Cherry recalled his calls with Bibby during his recruitment following his UNLV stint.
“Coach Bibb said they wanted me to play 35-40 minutes a game, and can I do that?” Cherry said. “Because if not, this might not be the place for me. I’ve done it. I played against guys who reached the NBA when I was at UNLV. I know what I can do. Now I just go to work.”
Someday, when he is done with basketball, including a potential professional career overseas, the Bear has an idea what he will do for work.
“I want to be a police officer,” Cherry said. “I at first wanted to be a firefighter, but I think I’d be a good police officer.”
Cherry said he might make his name badge on his chest simple and to the point: Bear.
This story was originally published November 7, 2025 at 9:28 PM.