Last second shot gives Saints win over PCC panthers

The setting was straight out of a movie, with seconds on the clock the Saints women’s basketball team was down two points when freshman point guard

Taylor Grote passed the ball to sophomore Emily Burch, who drove through the lane to put up the game-winning shot. The Saints edged out the PCC Panthers 66-64 on the home court Wednesday night.

“We got off to a slow start, we were down 5-0 off the bat,” said head coach Jocelyn McIntire, “But we ran a full-court press which definitely paid off,” added McIntire.

The Saints, who currently hold a 3-5 record in the South, are starting to play the style of ball that coach McIntire has wanted to see from them, “It was nice to see the girls stay even-keeled,” said McIntire who has spoken to her team’s mental breakdowns during games in the past, “I was extremely happy with the way we stayed in the game mentally.”

The victory serves as a boost for the Saints, who had a chip on their shoulder following their Feb. 4, 79-46 loss to the Lane Titans on the road, “My team didn’t show up. It was one of three games in the season where we actually got worse as the game went on,” said McIntire.

Still, one of the team’s strongest attributes is their resilience.
The team, who has set a goal to win the Southern Region and make it to NWAACCS, is picking up wins down the stretch, working their way back to compete for a playoff spot.

“PCC is a tough team, that was a game we should have and needed to win,” said McIntire who added, “I have to give them props.”
The Saints will head to Umpqua Riverhawks Saturday, where they plan in getting a win on the road.

The game is scheduled for a 4 p.m. start. Wednesday Feb. 15, the Saints will play at home where they will rival Clackamas Cougars with a game start time of 5:30 p.m.