Freshman point guard Drew Johnson breaks the back court defense during a scrimmage against Warner Pacific earlier in the season. Head Coach Geoff Gibor said Johnson is a key player for the Saints this season.

Saints get healthy in time for Warrior Classic

Sanne Godfrey
The Advocate

The men’s basketball team plays Walla Walla Community College tonight and Big Bend Community College Saturday in the Warrior Classic at Walla Walla, Wash.

Head Coach Geoff Gibor said this would be a good test for the team, because both Walla Walla and Big Bend are teams that shoot well from the outside.
Walla Walla won its first game Nov. 20, beating Seattle Community College 86-69.

In practice, the Saints are “focusing on getting out on the shooter on defense,” said Gibor. He added that the team would also continue to work on its offense.
MHCC played the Blue Mountain Community College Timberwolves Nov. 21 and won 81-71. “We won, but still have a lot to work on,” said Gibor.

The Saints scored 46 points in the first half while making 90 percent of its free throws, but in the second half the team scored 35 points and converted only 54 percent of its free throws.

The Timberwolves scored 32 points in the first half and although they outscored the Saints in the second half, scoring 39 points, they couldn’t close the gap.

The Saints leading scorer was Earl Jones with 18 points and 11 assists. Jones was the leading scorer for the Saints last year.

Gibor said two freshmen that have impressed him during practice are guard Drew Johnson and forward Cody Moreland.

Johnson and Moreland both started in the game against the Timberwolves. Johnson, from Barlow High School, played 18:37 minutes, scored nine points and had eight assists.

“Cody will be pretty good,” said Gibor. Moreland played high school basketball in Lakeland, Idaho. He scored two points in four minutes against Blue Mountain but, according to Gibor, has been a great asset in practice.

The team was plagued by injuries and missed five players in the game against the Timberwolves, but Gibor said three of the five will play in the Warrior Classic this weekend.

Andre Norman and John Johnson will be out for the season, Gibor said.

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