Saints men’s basketball team off to promising start

The Saints men’s basketball team opened their regular season play over Thanksgiving weekend by going 2-1 in the Red Devil Classic Tournament in Longview, Wash.

On Friday, the first day of competition, the Saints came out hard against the Yakima Yaks. They scored 32 points in the first half but only shot 60 percent from the free throw line and trailed by nine. The Yaks took advantage of Saints turnovers, which led to 47 Yakima points in the game.

“The only area we really need to work on is not turning the ball over. I think we set a record,” joked head coach Geoff Gibor Tuesday. Still, the Saints executed on defense, posting 64 game rebounds against the Yaks, who were held to 35. “We played solid defense and we rebounded really well all weekend,” said Gibor.

Ultimately, the Saints lost the game to the Yaks 81-73 — but it would be the sole loss of the weekend. Day two saw the Saints dominate the Edmonds Tritons, scoring 44 first-half points. Offensive execution continued in the second half, with the Saints scoring 52 points en route of a 96-64 victory. Freshman forward Colby Mitchell led the scoring with 18 points, while freshman guard Bradley Seehawer had 16 points.

On Sunday, the final day of competition, the Saints faced the home team, the Lower Columbia Red Devils, again dominating with 58 rebounds and 36 points off the bench. The Red Devils, who managed to stay within 10 points of the Saints at halftime (35-26), were no match for Saints offense in the second half, as MHCC put up 52 second-half points for a 87-61 victory.

The Saints, whose strength lies in their size and veteran leadership, are looking to run an up-tempo style this season. Still, with opposing teams converting on Saints turnovers, the players need to keep their focus. “We need to maintain defensive intensity and execute offensively,” said Gibor. “That is something that will happen the more games we get under our belts.”

The Saints will compete in the Warrior Classic today and Saturday in Walla Walla, Wash. They will face heavy competition against the Big Bend Vikings and the home team Walla Walla Warriors, both of whom are notoriously strong competitors. “We are facing good teams. We need to get out on shooters and contain them. We can’t allow them to penetrate,” said Gibor.

The Saints will play two games today: the Big Bend Vikings at 4 p.m. and the Walla Walla Warriors at 8 p.m. All day two games and times are to be determined and can be found on the NWAACC website.