Men's basketball still looking for first win
After strong start, Pirates suffer hard 29-point loss
The struggling Porterville College men’s basketball team (0-5) is still looking for a first win after a 29-point loss on the road in the Neil Edwards Classic Tournament in Glendora.
“We didn’t do a good job tonight,” PC coach T.J. Jennings said of his team’s 75-46 loss to Orange Coast College (2-2).
The team’s night didn’t start out bleakly. With eight minutes remaining in the first half, PC was up by five points and held a 22-17 lead. By the end of the half, the Pirates had fallen behind, 36-29.
“We just didn’t compete,” Jennings said. “I think there are some teaching points.”
Porterville had trouble with Orange Coast’s 1-3-1 zone and committed 34 turnovers on the night.
“Anytime you turn the ball over that many times, you’re not going to win,” Jennings said.
Also contributing to PC’s woes were its poor shooting percentages. The team shot just 28 percent on the night, and posted a dismal 25 percent from beyond the three-point line.
Leading PC’s scoring were Miguel Perez with nine points and Dominic Avila, who boarded eight. Tyrone Hall, usually the team’s leading scorer, injured his hand during practice earlier in the week and wasn’t able to put up his usually numbers.
“He’s battling through it,” the coach said.
Jennings’ Pirates are in a building mode this season as they try to recover from the loss of all but one of last year’s players. With 14 untested freshmen on the team, PC seems to have lost 75 or 80 of its shooting ability, he said.
As the season continues, Jennings hopes to see his men “taking every play seriously.”
They’ll get the chance to do that and garner their first win as they continue play in the Neil Edwards Classic against the host team, Citrus College. The CC Owls, one of the state’s top-ranked teams, lost its first tourney game by a single point to East Los Angeles College.
PC SPIKERS ONLINE
The Porterville College volleyball playoff match at Santa Rosa Junior College will be aired live today on the internet, beginning at 5:50 p.m.
Fans can find the audio link at portervillecollege.edu/athletics.
PC athletic director Eric Mendoza said the school worked quickly with Stretch Internet to provide live audio using the company’s Game Central feature.
The No. 6 Pirates (20-6) will face the heavily-favored No. 3 Bear Cubs (24-2) in a California Community College Athletic Association northern regional second round match.
Coach Dale Henderson has guided the team to the best season in PC history — as only 16 of the 88 state schools remain.
The Pirates are also ranked No. 15 in California, while the Bear Cubs are No. 4.
The team left on Friday, following a morning practice, and will spend the night in Santa Rosa.
“We understand it’s a long road trip for our families and fans to make, so we are glad to have the game on the internet so everyone can listen,” Henderson said.
“We are up against a very strong Santa Rosa program that is accustomed to final rounds in the playoffs each year. This is new for us, but something that we will enjoy and not take for granted. Not many believed we could make it this far.”
All of the top eight seeds in the North remain, with Saturday’s winners advancing to Tuesday’s regional finals. The top two teams from the North and South will qualify for the CCCAA state championships in Fullerton, Dec. 1-2.
