| 15 March 2011
Update: Too little, too late -- that was the case as the Portland Pilots season came to a close at the hands of the Hawaii Rainbow Warriors, 76-64, in the CIT on Tuesday night.
After trailing as much as 17 points, the Pilots battled back in the second half thanks to Jared Stohl, who had a game-high 22 points in the loss. He finished his career as UP's all-time leader in three-point field goals with 336.
Unfortunately, Stohl was the only player for Portland who get going. The Pilots' other starters had a combined four first-half points on 2-for-18 shooting. Yet even with the loss, head coach Eric Reveno couldn't help but applaud his team for their 20-12 season, especially the outgoing senior core of Stohl, Luke Sikma, Jasonn Hannibal, Kramer Knudson.
"We've got some seniors to replace, but we'll replace them and move forward and keep getting better," Reveno told Jim Beseda of the Oregonian. "It's hard. All of a sudden, it feels as if there's a big void to fill, but we have the best young guys in the program that we've had since I've been here and we're poised to take another step forward.
"I fell like we've got unfinished business here that we need to take care of."
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The Portland Pilots don't want their season to end just yet, but the Hawaii Rainbow Warriors might have different plans in store on Tuesday night.
That's when the two teams meet in the CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournament (CIT), a third consecutive appearence for head coach Eric Reveno and the Pilots as part of the expanded 24-team field this year.
A Portland win would be their first postseason victory in school history since they joined Division I basketball.
Then again, that historic outcome will depend on the Pilots' defensive game plan, not just their ability to fill it up on the other end from outside.
"Our Achilles' heel has been our defense. Turnovers have been problematic and that is also a point of concern, but defensively we've seen this before -- teams playing loose and confident and we're not able to distrupt them," Coach Reveno told Beyond the Beat.
Portland's latest defensive struggles came against West Coast Conference foe Loyola Marymount in the first round of the WCC Tournament on back on March 4 at the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas. Despite Jared Stohl leading the way with 23 points, the Pilots fell to the Lions, 72-68.
The Rainbow Warriors also left Las Vegas with heartbreak.
Hawaii (18-12, 8-8 WAC) lost to San Jose State, 75-74, in the Western Athletic Conference first round tournament at Orleans Arena and now returns to the postseason for the first time in seven years.
Backed by guard Zane Johnson (15.8 ppg, 97 three-pointers) and senior forward Bill Amis (15.5 ppg, 7.4 rpg), the Rainbow Warriors willl have some home cooking at the Stan Sheriff Center, where they are 13-4 this season and 6-1 all-time in postseason home games.
Look for Johnson - who ranks 5th in the NCAA in three-point field goals per game - to present fits for the Pilots.
"That kid can really stroke it. He looks like one of our shooters," added Reveno, before stressing the importance of Portland stepping up defensively to advance to the next round of the CIT.
"It's players guarding the ball, it's switching from zone to man, we just need some stability. Going on the road now and playing in front of 8,000 people in Hawaii, you could see them (Rainbow Warriors) getting comfortable offensively and we have to be prepared not to let them get going."
Coach Reveno said he hopes to solidify his guard rotation early on as the Pilots will be without freshman standout point guard Tim Douglas, who missed the last two games with a foot injury and will not be available on Tuesday.
"The way his stress reaction is responding doesn't look like he will be able to play, so now hopefully we can settle in knowing he won't play. He's taking it hard. As a point guard and future leader of the team, I try to impress upon him, how he responds is really important. He is taking that to heart."
Yet without Douglas, Portland's success once again could fall in the hands of Jared Stohl, and the Pilots ability to connect from beyond the arc.
The Pilots are ranked second nationally in team three-point percentage (.417), and Nemanja Mitrovic (91, ranked No. 5 in the nation in 3-point percentage) and Stohl (87, ranked No. 17) have combined to make 178 three-pointers which is the second most of any teammate duo in the nation. BYU’s Jimmer Fredette and Jackson Emery are first with 198.
Portland also has to get Luke Sikma established early -- Sikma leads the WCC in both double-doubles (14) and rebounds (10.5) and ranks tied for 12th nationally in rebounds per game.
Hawaii can also get it done from inside and out: Johnson and Bo Barnes have combined for 152 of the team's 189 three-pointers. Couple that will the 'Bows strong front line (team led the WAC in blocks, averaging 4.1 per game and averaged a league-best 5 blocks per game in the WAC), and the Pilots should be ready for a real battle on the Island.
Now it's time for Portland to play relaxed and play together.
"You can carry emotional baggage with you through the season, individually and collectively. That could be the baggage of expectations or baggage of how you want to perform. As a coach, what I like to see at the end of the year, is guys just relax and play. And there is a sense of urgency -- when you lose, you're done," Coach Reveno explained.
"Guys have to go out, play, compete and have some fun and really just focus on playing the best you can without distractions."
photo: daylife
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