Saints men’s basketball team racks up back-to-back wins

If credit is given where credit is due, then the Saints’ men’s basketball team deserves more than a few pats on the back after exposing the PCC Panthers with a 76-45 beating on their court Wednesday night.

Despite a slow start, the Saints experience and veteran leadership paid off when it counted.

“We didn’t start very well,” said head coach Geoff Gibor. “PCC has big, tough players, but that’s where having good players and experience come in. We played a little tight but they know when to pick it up,” he said.

The Saints, with a roster filled with sophomores as well as two third-year team members in Robbie Rivers and Drew Johnson, (who posted 18 points, 5 steals and 4 assists against the Panthers), have a talent-stocked experienced roster to pull from.

“In the second half, we pushed our style and went on a 14-2 run,” said Gibor. The Saints rallied to a victory with big offensive plays, and contributions from sophomore Curtis Papenfuss, who led the team with 20 points.

Over the break, the Saints played in the Centralia Crossover Tournament, where they won two and lost one in the three-day tournament. They opened with a 82-56 victory over the Grays Harbor Chokers, but then lost 72-66 to the Spokane Sasquatch. They finished with a 84-68 win over the Everett Trojans.
Since then, the Saints have been riding a five-game winning streak. On Dec. 29, they posted a 76-62 victory against the Lower Columbia Red Devils. The Saints took advantage of Devil turnovers, converting for 21 points, with sophomore Spencer Clayton leading the scoring with 19 points.

The Saints moved on the next night to an easy 92-57 victory over Linfield JV. The victory, which showed seven Saints players scoring in double-digits, was an indication that the Saints are starting to play the kind of basketball needed to push them into post-season play.

On Jan. 7, the Saints faced the Lane Titans at home, where they served up a hot plate of humble pie in defeating the Titans 104-76. Sophomore Marcus Moore led the team with 22 points, three steals and two assists.

The Saints seem to be moving seamlessly through the competition, which to this point has included several tough NWAACC teams, as well as a few California teams in a competitive SoCal tournament earlier this season. But they still have a long road ahead. The real test — how the Saints will compete against teams in the Southern Region — really has yet to be seen. “I feel confident. We should definitely make it to the post season. I think we will win against big teams,” said Gibor.

Currently in a four-way tie for the lead in the Southern Region, the Saints will soon face a tough schedule against historically tough inner-region teams.
“We’ve played a really broad spectrum and different styles of basketball,” said Gibor speaking to his team’s experience, “We have to continue to do what we’re good at. Games are going to get harder and harder.”

The first big test for the Saints will be the Umpqua Riverhawks Saturday at home, where Gibor says his team will need to get off to a good start. “We’ve got to go into it early and keep them off balance. We can’t let them get going,” said Gibor. Game time is set for 6 p.m. in the MHCC gymnasium.

Be sure to check NWAACC website for game results.