Saints grab road win

By PETER HILLS

It’s too early to tell which team from the NWAACC will go on to become champions.

With the way the Saints are playing, a championship doesn’t seem like and unrealistic goal, especially after Wednesday’s win against Portland Community College (PCC) 83-65.

“We played a good 17 minutes in the beginning of the game, and toward the end of the first we kind of got down with only a five point lead, so overall, I say we played pretty well for a conference game,” said guard Damarcus Branch who scored 12 points. “We had to talk and rotate. While our guys were talking other guys would rotate. I think we did a pretty good job of that in the second half,” said Branch.

The Saints are rolling off of another win in last Saturday’s game against SWOCC, making them 3-0 in league. They beat SWOCC 87-80, where Nick Klinger had a big game with 28 points.

“We do have momentum, but I knew PCC would be really excited to play, so I was a little scared about this game. I know our guys have not lost since this week, but they got a new coach and a new program and they’re building and are going to become pretty good. I was a little concerned about the game,” said coach Rob Nielson.

Nielson was a little concerned about not hitting any 3-pointers in the first half. “We didn’t make one, so they had to come out and start hitting threes in the second half.”
The second half also produced seven team fouls, about double from the first.

“I told them at halftime we only had four fouls, and that tells me that our defense isn’t very aggressive, so if we’re playing well we’re going to foul some, if we’re playing good defense. So I told them to get out and be a little more aggressive, I wasn’t concerned about it because no one was in foul trouble,” said Nielson.

Nielson credits the team on how well they work together and work as a team for the win.

Jake Glisson and Klinger both put up big points, with 33 between them. Meanwhile, the tallest MHCC player Adonal Arrington, 6’11”, was nearly untouchable down low with 14 points and seven rebounds. Corey Nielson continues to be a great asset with 11 points, eight rebounds, seven assists, giving him 78 overall assists. Freshman Kaylone Riley, 6’8”, had nine rebounds and two blocked shots. Riley leads the team in the blocking department with 22 this season.

Someone will be handed their first defeat of the season Saturday when the Saints host an undefeated Lane (3-0, 8-9 overall).

“Every game, we play it like it’s our last game. We want to win the NWAACCs so every game we come to play as a whole team,” said Branch.