Men’s basketball goes 2-1 in Red Devil Classic Tournament

After dropping its first game in the Red Devil Classic basketball tournament over the Thanksgiving weekend, the Mt. Hood men’s team came back to win its next two games and regain some early season momentum.

The 95-93 defeat on Nov. 29 came after a last-second floater by Yakima Valley Community College, eventual winners of the eight-team tournament played in Longview, Wash.

The Saints quickly rebounded with wins over Centralia College and Spokane Community College to earn fourth place.

Against Yakima, Mt. Hood surged ahead by 13 points at halftime, 57-44, shooting 67 percent (22-33) from the field while the Yaks shot 51 percent.

The second half was completely opposite, as Mt. Hood shot 44 percent and Yakima Valley shot 57 percent.

“We played well in the first half, but in the second half we rushed shots and had too many turnovers,” said Geoff Gibor, Mt. Hood head coach.

Saints sophomore center Mac Johnson had a double-double with 18 points and 10 rebounds. Sophomore guard Landon Rushton added 16 points, while sophomores Brock Otis, Blake Updike, Denzel Green and Thomas Simien scored 14, 12, 8 and 8 points, respectively.

Freshman guard-forward Oleg Marandyuk added 11 points off the bench.

Yakima Valley would later win the tournament by defeating Everett Community College, 117-102.

“That loss didn’t feel good on Friday and the bounce back was nice, but we have a lot of things to get better at so we can stay consistent and keep winning games,” Otis said after the Saints’ first-round setback.

The first strides came on Saturday, when Mt. Hood outlasted the Centralia Trailblazers in overtime, 87-85.

The team played well, adjusting to Centralia’s style, Gibor said. “They played a 2-3 zone the entire game but I felt we closed out well,” he said.

Johnson had a team-high 20 points, along with 15 rebounds. Simien also recorded a double-double with 18 points and 10 boards, earning praise from his coach. “Thomas has been playing very well,” Gibor said.

Updike scored 13 points off the bench and Otis scored 11.

Mt. Hood dominated the rebound battle 56-29 and had 19 second-chance points compared to Centralia’s zero. The Saints previously defeated the Trailblazers back on Nov. 9 during a scrimmage.

In its final tournament game on Sunday, Mt. Hood downed Spokane 76-69.

Johnson led the way again for the Saints, with 23 points and 16 boards. He was named to the all-tournament team, averaging 20 points and 13 boards in three games.

“Mac’s work ethic pushes us, he hustles and he’s a difference maker,” said Gibor.

The Saints have found another leader in Otis, the second-year guard. “With my experience and understanding of everything going on, I feel responsible to be a vocal leader and I love my role,” Otis said.

Tonight at 8 o’clock, the team heads east to take on Walla Walla Community College in Walla Walla, Wash.

“We need to protect the perimeter,” said Gibor. “They can shoot.” In three games at the same Red Devil Classic, the Warriors fired up 119 three-point shots.

“We played really well together on Sunday, but we have to defend hard and get hands in the shooters’ faces,” said Rushton.

In the second day of action at the Warrior Classic, MHCC will play Blue Mountain Community College at 4 p.m.

It’s a rematch, after the Saints beat Blue Mountain in the first regular season game on Nov. 15, 82-74.

“It’s going to be a lot different from the first time,” Gibor cautioned. “They have already played a tough schedule and they haven’t been getting blasted. We gotta be ready to go.”