 |
|
|||||||
|
||||||||
|
|
Clackamas snaps 6-game MHCC winning streak
The Advocate
The Saints men’s basketball team fell to the defending NWAACC champions Clackamas Community College Cougars 71-64 Wednesday night in the second of a three-game home stand.
The loss left Saints head coach Geoff Gibor with a sour taste in his mouth about his team’s defense not executing in the second half after a 33-33 tie in the first half.
|
|||
|
|||
|
|||
|
“I preach every game: rebound and defense,” he said. “In the second half we played a bunch of 2-3 zone. We preach no penetration on zone defense. They were going right down the middle on our zone. We can’t let that happen.”
Offensively, the Saints weren’t in sync, shooting 33 percent from the field (24 of 72) and 17 percent from behind the arc (4 of 23).
“We missed a lot of opportunities,” said Gibor. “We took a lot of shots out of rhythm. Just weren’t aggressive offensively.”
For the second game in a row, point guard Earl Jones came off the bench. It was a new role for Jones, who played significant minutes (30). He ended the game with 10 points and led both teams with six assists.
“I am going to do what’s best for the team,” said Jones on his role coming off the bench.
Portland State-bound Chehales Tapscott led all scorers with 26 points for the Cougars and point guard Jeff Dorman added 20 points in the victory.
“We tried to slow him (Tapscott) down,” said Gibor, “but you can’t stop him.”
“Tapscott is a really, really good player,” said Jones. “He killed us in the second half. Tonight was a very physical game and we knew that coming into the game.”
For the second consecutive game, forward Jeremy Jones led the Saints in scoring, putting in 16 points against the Cougars. All his points came in the second half because of first-half foul trouble.
Gibor said the team will use this loss as a learning experience for the tough schedule ahead of them.
“We will bounce back,” said Gibor. “Not forget (this game), but learn from it and move on.”
Earl Jones returned to action Saturday night in a 20-point blowout over the Portland Community College Panthers, 87-67. He ended the game with 12 points, five assists and three steals in his first game back since Dec. 12.
“He gives us a great spark coming off the bench,” said Gibor on the sophomore guard’s new role.
Jones’ acrobatic skills were displayed at the end of the first half when he freed himself from three Panther defenders with one second on the clock to throw up a buzzer-beating lay up that gave the Saints a 13-point lead going into the halftime break.
He wasn’t the only Jones that made in impact on the outcome, as Jeremy Jones was the game’s high scorer with 24 points. Jamar Johnson chipped in 21 points.
The Panthers cut the deficit to six points, 68-62, with just under six minutes left after a series of Saints turnovers and missed opportunities on the offensive side.
Kenneth Kirkland Jr. led the Panthers with 23 points and played the entire game. Teammate Kashias Lewis added 19 points and eight rebounds.
The Saints will play Saturday at home against the Chemeketa Community College Storm at 6 p.m. The Storm comes in with a perfect record of 12-0 (2-0 in the region).
The Advocate reserves the right to not publish comments based on their appropriateness.