Whatcom holds off Pirates, 88-80
BELLINGHAM - It was fitting that Wednesday's match-up between the Pirates and Orcas followed the Super Bowl, because it was a match-up of "Super Bowl" proportions. The NWAACC's second-ranked Whatcom was home against third-ranked Peninsula - and the winner would have the inside track to the North Division title.
It was also a preview of two teams expected to vie for the NWAACC championship in March.
The Pirates had a strong first half, leading 46-39 at the break, but Whatcom took advantage of PC foul trouble and roared back while the Pirate post players, DeShaun Freeman and Corey Clement, watched much of the game from the bench. Freeman eventually fouled out and Clement managed to nurse four fouls to the final buzzer, but the Pirates could not stay with the hosts down the stretch, falling by 8.
The Pirates outshot Whatcom 50% to 45%, and were almost even from three-point range (39% to 40%), but the Orcas capitalized on 80% free throw shooting to PC's 56% and from 17, from a 38-32 rebounding edge, as well as a 17-13 turnover edge to account for the difference in the game.
J.T. Terrell led five Pirates in double figures with 18, Freeman and Clement each hit for 14, Sam Waller 11 and Dudley Ewell 10. Daniel Sims added a season-high 5 assists.
The Pirates (8-3, 18-4), who slipped into a tie for third place with Shoreline, host Edmonds on Saturday.
PC men outscore Skagit, 104-92
MOUNT VERNON - The NWAACC's third-ranked Peninsula Pirates exploded out to a 51-35 halftime lead en route to a 104-92 road win over Skagit Valley Saturday night.
The PC men, who were led by the 32 points from J.T. Terrell and 30 from DeShaun Freeman, were just too much for the host Cardinals.
Sam Waller had 14 points and 6 assists and Corey Clement added 11 points and a game-high 9 rebounds in a game that saw all 12 Pirates see action.
Peninsula (8-2, 18-3) travels to Whatcom on Wednesday.
Pirates turn up the heat, win 98-77
PORT ANGELES - The Pirates, who have lost at home only once in Coach Lance Von Vogt's two-year career at Peninsula, weren't about to let that happen Wednesday night against a very talented Seattle Storm team.
In their previous meeting in Seattle, the Pirates needed a J.T. Terrell 3-pointer at the buzzer to escape with a 103-102 win. This time, the PC men turned up their offense and pulled away from a sharp-shooting Storm club in the second half to win going away, 98-77.
The Pirates shot a respectable 40 percent in the first half to build a 37-29 lead, but couldn't shake the Storm in the early minutes of the second half, as fans braced themselves for another nailbiter. Then, in a spectacular show of dunks, twisting driving layups and crisp shooting from the perimeter, the Pirates shot 62 percent from the floor in the second half to bury the Storm.
DeShaun Freeman had another double-double with 26 points and 12 rebounds to lead the hosts, Dudley Ewell hit for 22, J.T. Terrell had 18, Sam Waller had 17 points, 6 boards and 6 assists, and Tyler Funk had another spectular game distributing the ball with 12 assists.
The Pirates, who improved to 7-2 in conference play, travel to Skagit Valley on Saturday.
Pirates fall short at Bellevue
BELLEVUE - Coach Lance Von Vogt knew his guys would have to be at their best to beat the NWAACC's top-ranked Bulldogs at Bellevue, especially after the 'Dogs had lost their first two games of the season, back-to-back, but things did not go Peninsula's way in a game that saw 49 fouls called (31 on the Pirates and 18 on the Bulldogs), ending with four PC men disqualified.
The hosts established a slow pace, holding the Pirates to just 33 points in a 33-33 deadlock at halftime. The Dogs then went out in front, but could not shake the Pirates until the end, turning a 3-point lead with two minutes remaining into a 10-point win as most of Peninsula's starters were watching from the bench. DeShaun Freeman, Tyler Funk, J.T. Terrell and Corey Clement all fouled out and Dudley Ewell was nursing 4 as Bellevue made good on 30 of 43 free throws in a game that left black and gold fans a bit frustrated. The Pirates attempted 28 free throws, scoring 20 - and that 10 points proved to be the difference in the game.
Ewell had one of the biggest nights of his collegiate career with 28 points and 8 rebounds to keep Peninsula in it. Terrell had 21 points and 5 boards, Sam Waller had 11 points, 4 assists and 4 steals, and Freeman was held to 9 points and 3 rebounds in just 21 minutes on the floor. Freeman and Clement both played limited minutes due to foul trouble, allowing Bellevue's athletic post Keaton Hayenga to have his way inside, leading all scorers with 28.
While the loss didn't help Peninsula's hopes of winning the North, things got interesting when Seattle upset Whatcom 70-62, handing the Orcas their first loss. That leaves Whatcom at 6-1, Peninsula 6-2 and Bellevue 5-2. The Pirates host 5-3 Seattle on Wednesday. Tip-off is 7:00.
Pirates hold off Olympic in 92-89 thriller
PORT ANGELES – It's apparent the 2011-12 Pirates enjoy playing offense more than defense, but it was a defensive effort that clinched a 92-89 win over Olympic before a big Pirate Pete's Week crowd Wednesday night.
J.T. Terrell had just hit a fade-away baseline bank shot to give Peninsula a 91-89 lead with 13 seconds to play when Olympic came out of a time out, inbounded the ball and was moving up the court for what the Rangers hoped would be a game-tying, or possibly game-winning shot. Instead, Daniel Sims came up with a huge steal, was fouled, hit one of his free throws and the Pirates escaped with a 3-point victory.
Terrell had a big night for Peninsula, repeatedly taking the ball to the hoop and also draining bombs as he hit 12 of 23 from 2-point range and 3 of 12 from 3-point range, in adddition to 8/8 from the free throw stripe to lead all scorers. DeShaun Freeman finished with 20 points and 7 rebounds, while Corey Clement had another big night off the bench, finishing with 14 points. Dudley Ewell had 8 points and 8 rebounds, Sam Waller had another outstanding effort distributing the ball with 11 assists, one shy of the school record, while Tyler Funk contributed 7 assists.
The Pirates (6-1, 16-2) travel to Bellevue to face North Division powerhouse Bellevue on Saturday. Tipoff is 6:00.
'Short' Pirates outscore Shoreline 116-106
PORT ANGELES – With 6-7 post DeShaun Freeman out with a knee injury, the Pirates put a pretty small line-up on the floor Saturday night against Shoreline, but they aren’t small in the heart department.
The Pirates played very hard on offense and defense and outshot and outscored a talented Dolphin team 116-106.
A big turnout of fans who braved the wet and snowy weather were treated to a very fast-paced game that saw the Dolphins hoist 129 shots from the floor, while the Pirates put up 78 2s and 15 3s for 93 shots. The PC men, however, hit 55 percent from the field, while holding the Dolphins to 43 percent field goal shooting – and that was the difference in the game.
J.T. Terrell had a big night for PC with 34 points on 13/19 from 2-point range, 3/ 4 from 3-point range and 5/7 from the charity stripe. Corey Clement also came up big, in more ways than one. The 6-3 post finished with 24 points and 12 rebounds for a double-double against a much taller Dolphin defense. Tyler Funk was all over the court, finishing with 21 points and 6 assists, Sam Waller too put in some miles Saturday with 11 points and an impressive 12 assists (2 shy of the school record), while Chris Buchanan made the most of his opportunity to start, finishing with 10. Dudley Ewell added 9 points, 7 rebounds and 5 assists.
The Pirates, who improved to 5-1 and 15-2, host Olympic on Wednesday.
Pirates get 2nd win of weekend, 99-81
EVERETT - The Pirates responded to their first loss of the season to an NWAACC team, that coming last Wednesday to Whatcom, by beating Edmonds Saturday and then Everett Monday, both on the road.
Dudley Ewell led the way with 18 points, J.T. Terrell and Tyler Funk hit for 18 each, Daniel Sims scored 11 and Corey Clement finished with 9 points and a team-high 9 rebounds as the PC men outscored Everett 99-81.
The Pirates did a nice job distributing the basketball, with Sam Waller leading the way with 5 assists, while Jordan Rawls, Sims and Ewell had 4 each.
The Pirates hit for 49 percent from the floor, 36 percent from 3-point range and 79 percent from the free throw line to outdo Everett in every category. They also came up with 15 steals in the game, while the Trojans were crediting with swiping the ball just three times.
Peninsula (4-1, 14-2) will be idle Wednesday and will see its next action at home Saturday against Shoreline.
Pirates eke out 79-77 win over Edmonds
EDMONDS - Arguably the most talented team in the NWAACC is not yet firing on all cylinders, but the Pirate ship had enough wind in its sails to hold off an Edmonds team that had one only one win all year, escaping with a 79-77 win Saturday night.
The men in black went out to a 46-35 lead at halftime, but were unable to build on that, as Edmonds outscored the Pirates 41-34 in the second half, falling just short of the season's biggest upset.
Meanwhile, the NWAACC's 2010-11 Coach of the Year Lance Von Vogt is truly earning his paycheck. Von Vogt and his staff continue to work hard in an effort to bring a collection of talented individuals together and get them on the same page as a team, When that happens, the Pirates may be unbeatable.
To their credit on Saturday night, the Pirates got a win on the road, they improved to 3-1 in conference play and 13-2 overall and they will spend Sunday preparing for a road trip to snowy Everett on Monday.
In Saturday's win, DeShaun Freeman posted another double-double, with 17 points and 14 rebounds, J.T. Terrell hit 13 of 22 attempts from 2-point range and 2/6 from beyond the arc to lead all scorers with 33. Corey Clement and Dudley Ewell added 8 each.
Pirates' win streak ends at 13 games
PORT ANGELES - All winning streaks eventually end, but Peninsula's 13-game unbeaten home win streak, one that dates back to Feb. 17, 2010 when Edmonds stopped a Peter Stewart-coached PC team 89-88, did not end without a fight.
The 7th-ranked Whatcom Orcas held off a furious Peninsula comeback in the final three minutes to hand coach Lance Von Vogt his first loss on Pirate turf, 74-71.
The Orcas were up 69-58 with 2:29 remaining when the NWAACC's 2nd-ranked Pirates cranked up the defense and battled back. J.T. Terrell and Tyler Funk hit back-to-back threes to close it to 69-65 with 1:06 remaining, a hoop in the paint by Dudley Ewell made it 72-69 with 32 seconds left and then, following two Terrell free throws, the Pirates got the ball back, leading 73-71, and Daniel Sims got off a runner from 8 feet with 5 seconds left that would have sent the game into overtime, but his shot banked off the rim and the Orcas came up with the rebound and added a free throw to win by 3.
Terrell got a quiet 20 to lead Peninsula before fouling out in the final seconds, Ewell hit for 15 points and had 3 steals, Funk added 13 points and 5 assists and Sam Waller chipped in 10 points and 5 assists. Corey Clement played very big for PC off the bench with a strong defensive effort.
PC's big 6-7 post DeShaun Freeman was held to 9 points and 5 rebounds before being ejected down the stretch for what the officials determined was a flagrant elbow.
Peninsula had won three straight home games this year, after going 9-0 at home last year and finishing the previous season with a win to account for the 13-game streak.
The Pirates (12-2, 2-1) travel to Edmonds and Everett Saturday and Monday.
Pirates give Coach V. 88-68 present
PORT ANGELES - Second year head coach Lance Von Vogt remained unbeaten at home on his birthday and his Pirates improved to 12-1 and 2-0 with an 88-68 win over Skagit Valley Saturday in a game that saw all 13 players see action and 12 of them score.
DeShaun Freeman recorded a double-double with 12 points and 11 rebounds in limited action (23 minutes), Dudley Ewell led the Pirates with 17, Tyler Funk had 14 and J.T. Terrell finished with 13 points in only 19 minutes on the mapel. Sam Waller had 9 points and 6 assists, one of those a toss behind him to Terrell for a thunderous, and crowd-pleasing, one-handed throw down.
The Pirates dominated nearly all aspects of the game, including rebounds (52-34) and field goal shooting (53%-38%).
The road may get a little rougher for the men in black and gold, as they host seventh-ranked Whatcom on Wednesday.
No. 2 Pirates hang on 103-102 in conference opener
SEATTLE - If the opening night of North Division play was an indication of how this season is going to go, hold onto your seat, it's going to be a wild ride.
The Pirates, who moved up a notch to No. 2 in the Alaska Air/Coaches Poll Wednesday afternoon, were nearly brought back down Wednesday night, escaping with a thrilling 103-102 road win over a North Seattle team that won only five games in the pre-season. Meanwhile, the NWAACC's top-ranked Bellevue Bulldogs narrowly dodged an upset of their own, holding on for a 74-72 nod over an Olympic Ranger team that won only three non-conference games.
In Peninsula's win over the Storm, the Pirates did everything right offensively, with four players scoring 20 points or more, impressive field goal numbers (51 percent), 3-point shooting (48 percent) and rebounding (35-27 edge), but they couldn't stop North Seattle. The Storm overcame a 47-42 halftime deficit to outscore the Pirates 60-56 in the second half, taking a 102-100 lead before J.T. Terrell came up big, hitting a 3-pointer with 8 seconds remaining to win it.
Despite a bit of a defensive lapse, coupled with some very sharp Storm shooting, the PC men did take care of business and they did go home with the win, albeit with coaches and fans likely sporting less hair. Dudley Ewell led the Pirates with 23 points and 9 rebounds, Tyler Funk buried 6 3-pointers to finish with 22, the NWAACC's leading scorer, J.T. Terrell, was held to 21, which included 5/7 accuracy from beyond the arc, DeShaun Freeman had another big night with 20 and Sam Waller chipped in 13.
In other North Division openers, seventh-ranked Whatcom stopped Everett 82-72 and Shoreline outscored Skagit Valley 114-105.
The Pirates (11-1, 1-0) who are off to their best start since Port Angeles grad Tony Burke led them to an 11-1 start in 1998-1999, host Skagit Valley in their conference home opener at 7:00 Saturday.
Pirates drop Cougs at own tournament
OREGON CITY, OR - The third-ranked Pirates rocked Clackamas 85-65 in the championship game of the Clackamas Holiday Tournament Friday to wrap up their preseason with a 10-1 record.
Five Pirates scored in double figures, led by the 23 points and 5 rebounds of J.T. Terrell and 23 points and 4 steals from Sam Waller. Tournament MVP DeShaun Freeman finished with 12 points and 9 rebounds, Dudley Ewell scored 13 and Cory Clement chipped in 10.
In Thursday's semi-final, the PC men got by fourth-ranked Tacoma 78-75, getting 21 points and 10 boards from Freeman, 21 points from Ewell, and 16 points and 5 assists from Waller.
In their tournament opener on Wednesday, Terrell scored 27 points and pulled down 7 rebounds, Freeman added 20 points and an impressive 16 boards, Waller contributed 11 and Ewell 9 in a 79-67 win over perennial East power Yakima. Point guard Tyler Funk suffered a broken nose and played only 14 minutes.
The Pirates open North Division play Wednesday at North Seattle.
Pirates win South Crossover Tournament
SALEM, OR - The Pirates, who slipped to No. 3 in the NWAACC/Alaska Airlines Men's Basketball Poll, responded by dominating the South Region Crossover Tournament here last weekend, rocking Southwest Oregon and Lower Columbia in the first two rounds and then coming from behind to drop Columbia Basin in Sunday's championship.
Five Pirates scored in double figures in the title game, led by J.T. Terrell with 24, Tyler Funk with 20, DeShaun Freeman 13, Dudley Ewell 11 and Sam Waller 10. The Pirates trailed 42-39 at halftime, but poured it on in the second half to win going away.
In Saturday's semifinal against long-time nemesis Lower Columbia, the Peninsula men bolted out to a big early lead and never looked back, as coach Lance Von Vogt was able to play his entire roster throughout the game. Terrell led all scorers with 32, Ewell had 13 and Djuan Smith 10 leading the Pirates to a 97-63 win.
The PC men opened the tourney with a 109-85 romp over Southwestern Oregon Friday, getting the strongest performance of the year from sophomore J.T. Terrell, who blistered the net hitting 14/19 from the field, 6/9 from 3-point range and 3/4 from the free throw line for 37 points. Freeman posted a double-double (19 points and 13 rebounds) in his first outing of the year, while Funk and Corey Clement each chipped in 10.
The Pirates (7-1) wrap up non-conference play at the Clackamas Tournament Dec. 28-30.
No. 1 Pirates hold off No. 7 Highline
PORT ANGELES - Pirate fans filled the Peninsula College gym Saturday night to see the defending NWAACC champion and top-ranked Pirates battle 7th-ranked Highline - and they got their monies worth.
The PC men bolted out to a 20-6 lead as their swarming defense was giving the Thunderbirds trouble through the early going, but Highline settled in and chipped away - and it was 34-29 at the break.
The high-flying Pirates, who were averaging 91 points a game, could not get much offense going against the big T-birds and maintained a narrow lead throughout most of the second half. Highline, however, pounded the Pirates inside and eventually tied it at 55-55 with 6:16 to go - and the two teams matched hoops from there on out. J.T. Terrell hit a three to put the Pirates up 68-65 in the closing minutes and then converted two free throws to provide the final margin of victory, 70-67. Terrell led all scorers, hitting on 10 of 22 field goals, 4 of 10 three-point attempts and a brilliant 14/16 from the free throw line to finish with 38 points. Djuan Smith added 8 points, including an electrifying dunk in traffic, Dudley Ewell had 7 points and 9 rebounds and point guard Tyler Funk led all PC rebounders with 10 and added 7 assists.
The Pirates are now idle until Dec. 16 when they travel to Salem, OR to play in the Chemeketa Tournament.
Pirates go 2-1 on North Idaho road trip
Cour de Alene, ID - The top-ranked Peninsula Pirates defeated Williston State and Salish Kootenai and lost to North Idaho in a three-game road trip to NIC last weekend.
JT Terrell poured in 37 points, Dudley Ewell and Curtis Stewart had 12 each and Tyler Funk and Corey Clement had 10 each in a 90-81 win over Williston State on Friday. Clement's 11 rebounds game him a double-double and Funk and Djuan Smith each had 4 assists.
In Saturday's high-scoring 102-90 shootout against Salish Kootenai, the Pirates were led by Terrell's 33 points, 22 from Ewell, 17 from Smith and 11 from Funk, who also contributed 7 assists. Stewart and Smith each had 9 boards and Stewart led the defense with 4 steals.
The Pirates then ran into a bigger and deeper North Idaho team where they suffered a 102-72 setback. Terrell had another big game with 27, Smith had 12 points and 4 blocked shots.
The Pirates (3-1) host Highline at 7:00 Saturday.
Defending champs too much for Grays Harbor
PORT ANGELES – The defending NWAACC champion Pirates started their 2011-12 season off with a bang, dropping Grays Harbor 102-57 Tuesday night in their non-conference season opener.
Wake Forest transfer JT Terrell led Peninsula with 30 points, sophomore Dudley Ewell, who missed all of 2010-11 with a knee injury, made his Pirate debut with 15 points and 6 rebounds, Corey Clement, another sophomore transfer, finished with 13 points and 8 rebounds, Djuan Smith contributed 12 points and led the defense with 5 steals and Tyler Funk narrowly missed a double-double with 11 points and 8 assists, one of those a pass off the backboard followed by a spectacular one-handed jam by Terrell.
All 11 players on Peninsula’s active roster played Tuesday and all contributed to the blowout. The PC men shot 54 percent from the field (40/73), while Grays Harbor was held to 37 percent shooting (20/54). The Pirates outrebounded the Chokers 44-32 and also won the turnover battle (11-20).
Terrell, who’s first Pirate hoop was a two-handed throw down off a steal, started off chilly from the perimeter, but heated up and finished the day 13/21 from two-point range and 2/4 from beyond the arc. Clement had an impressive night, shooting 5/5 from the floor and 3/4 from the free throw line.
The Pirates travel to North Idaho College in Cour de Alene this holiday weekend where they will play Williston State, Salish Kootenai and North Idaho Friday, Saturday and Sunday. They return home to face Highline at 7:00 on Dec. 3.
Von Vogt named NWAACC Coach of the Year
Peninsula College’s first-year head coach Lance Von Vogt was named the 2011 NWAACC Men’s Basketball Coach of the Year, as announced by the Northwest Athletic Association of Community Colleges. Von Vogt’s remarkable run included a 22-7 overall record, a 9-0 record in the Pirate gym, a second place finish in the North Region and then four straight wins, including an 80-76 victory over Pierce in the title game of the NWAACC Basketball Championship Tournament, where the Pirates claimed their first title since 1970. “It’s a pretty special accomplishment to win the NWAACC championship, but it’s truly outstanding for a coach to pull that off in the first year,” said Peninsula Athletic Director Rick Ross. “We were excited to bring Lance on board last summer. We knew he could coach and we knew he could recruit, but I don’t think anyone expected him to build a championship program in three months.” Von Vogt was the runner-up in the North Region coach of the year balloting, but he has won that honor before. He was named the NJCAA Region 17 Coach of the Year in 2005 as head coach at Oxford College. He will be honored at the NWAACC Hall of Fame dinner in Vancouver, Washington on June 2.
2010-2011 Peninsula College Pirate’s Highlights:
It is not often that a program exceeds expectations so early and so often, but that is exactly what 1st year Head Coach Lance Von Vogt and his men’s basketball team did this season claiming Pirates’ 1stMen’s Basketball Championship in 41 years.
“It doesn't matter what season you're a coach, anytime that you win a championship and you're tearing down the net at the end of the year, it’s a great experience”, said Von Vogt. “This is a special group of guys who placed the team 1st and accomplished something they will have with them forever.”
The great news is this is only the beginning of Peninsula Pirate Basketball.
Some 2010-2011 Season Highlights:
1. 1st Pirates Basketball team in NWAACC History to win the NWAACC Championship (Note: the Pirates won the 1970 Championship when it was the Washington State Championship)
2. Pirates own the longest current winning streak in NWAACC Basketball (7 Games)
3. Pirates went an undefeated, 9 – 0, at home for the 2010-11 season
4. PC defeated:
-5th Place Yakima Valley Yaks on March 5th
-4th Place Tacoma Titans on March 6th
-3rd Place Spokane Sasquatch on March 7th
-2nd Place Pierce Raiders on March 8th
*to complete the toughest bracket in NWAACC Championship History
6. PG Mitrell Clark earned NWAACC MVP
7. PF DeShaun Freeman earned 1st Team All NWAACC
8. PG Sammeon Waller earned 2nd Team All NWAACC
9. DeShaun Freeman - North Region MVP Runner Up – 1st Team All Region
10. SG Thad Vinson earned 2nd Team All North Region
11. Coach Von Vogt & the Team received a Mayoral Proclamation after bringing the NWAACC Championship home
12. Thad Vinson set a new record for Best Career Free Throw percentage at 85.06%
13. The Peninsula College Athletic Department was recognized as the Business of the Month by the Port Angeles Chamber of Commerce
14. Jeremiah Johnson, SF & acting Student Body President
15. Over 10 community service activities during the year
Tournament highlight video
See www.nwaacc.org for stats and scores.