By Ben Arthur |
A strong second-half performance from junior guard Alec Wintering helped to fuel the Portland Pilots Men’s basketball team to an exhibition win over Concordia-Irvine Saturday afternoon in the Chiles Center, 85-78. Wintering finished the game with 20 points, five assists and five rebounds for the Pilots.
Junior transfer Jarrel Marshall was the second leading scorer for Portland in the victory, chipping in 15 points on seven-for-nine shooting.
“I love playing with [Jarrel]," Wintering said. “He’s long, he can take the ball off the dribble, he can knock down shots, and he can get out and run. He’s just fun to play with.”
The Pilots came out blazing, going on a 13-0 run to open the game. Concordia-Irvine fired right back with a nine point unanswered run of their own to bring the deficit to four. A free-throw by the Eagles evened the score at 15. With 10:41 left, a two-handed jam by Marshall in transition gave Portland back a lead they didn’t give up for the remainder of the half. A no-look assist from sophomore Jason Todd at the top of the key to forward Gabe Taylor in the paint highlighted a 19-point lead for Portland at 38-19, the largest lead of the game.
Marshall’s 12 points led all scorers and helped to give the Pilots a 44-29 halftime lead over Concordia-Irvine.
Despite an abysmal four-of-13 at the free throw line, Portland shot 72 percent from the field going into the break. They held the Eagles to just 24.3 percent from the floor.
Concordia-Irvine made it a tight contest in the second half. The Eagles cut the lead to down to nine early following back-to-back threes. The visitors took a 65-63 lead at the 8:22 mark after two more threes and a breakaway dunk from forward Stephen Grosey in transition. A Pressley baseline drive and kick-out to senior Max Livingston for the corner three stole back the lead for the Pilots. Portland extended their lead to eight at 78-70 following a big-time flush from sophomore center Philipp Hartwich in the middle.
The Eagles didn’t go away. Consecutive five-second violations by the Pilots gave the Concordia-Irvine some hope, allowing them to cut the deficit to three after a basket at the rim with 2:14 left in the contest. Wintering stepped up his play in the closing minutes, helping to ice the game for the Pilots with six consecutive made free throws.
Wintering’s 16 second half points lead all players in the second half.
Four players scored in double digits for the Pilots. Pressley and Hartwich combined for eight blocks, tallying four apiece.
JT Roach racked up 20 points in a losing effort for Concordia-Irvine.
The Pilots will open up regular season play at the Chiles Center against the Oregon Institute of Technology on Thursday, Nov. 7.
Ben Arthur is a Sports Writer for The Beacon. He can be reached by email arthur17@up.edu or twitter @KingArthur_425
