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#135 Portland Pilots
West Coast Conference
2004-05: 15-15,
4-10, 7th
2004-05 postseason:
none
By
Joel Welser
The season didn’t
end very well for the
Portland Pilots who lost their last five and nine of their
last 11 games. The top seven returning scorers return including
a trio of experienced senior guards in Pooh Jeter, Darren Cooper
and Donald Wilson.
Who’s Out:
Andreas Gahlman proved to be an
important big man for the Pilots last year. The senior started
29 games, averaging 13.1 minutes per contest. He didn’t put up
big numbers with 2.8 points and 1.9 rebounds, but his presence
under the basket kept Gahlman in the starting lineup. Swingman
Karl Aaker saw quality minutes off the bench, averaging 3.2
points. Dreshawn Vance is transferring from Portland. As a
sophomore last year, the 6-8 forward averaged 4.8 points and 4.6
rebounds. Seldom used Eric Wanless has also run out of
eligibility.
Who’s In:
The newcomers will have to help
provide a bench for the Pilots. Brian McTear is a speedy little
5-10 point guard. His defense alone will get him some minutes.
He has good point guard instincts and will most likely take over
for Pooh Jeter in the future. Forward Jamie Jones will be able
to fill in some minutes this year as well. He is a stellar shot
blocker and rebounder who can also do a little scoring if
necessary. Alex Tiefenthaler is a skilled forward. The Bethel
High School product is 6-9, 215 pounds and will be able to fill
in at the small forward and power forward spots. At 6-5, Marcus
Carter II has good size for a guard. He’s versatile and should
be a force for Portland in the future. One who will make an
immediate impact is Kevin Field, a transfer from Oregon State.
Even at 6-11 and 265 pounds, Field isn’t just a post player. He
has a smooth shooting touch from outside. Field has two years of
eligibility remaining and will find his way into the rotation.
Who to Watch:
Watch out for the Pooh in the
Portland. Eugene ‘Pooh’ Jeter is the go-to guy for the Pilots.
As a junior last year he averaged 15.2 points and 3.3 assists.
The 5-10 guard has a solid shot from outside, shooting 36.2%
from beyond the arc. He led the team with 85.7% shooting from
the charity stripe and 1.6 steals per contest.
Projected
Conference Rank:
The top of the WCC is a little too
far away for Portland to reach, but a 6th place finish in the
conference will have the Pilots competing. If the senior
backcourt can flourish, the Pilots could be flying high in the
post season.
Projected
Post-season Tournament:
none
Projected Starting
Five:
Pooh Jeter, Senior,
Guard, 15.2 points per game
Darren Cooper, Senior,
Guard, 11.4 points per game
Donald Wilson, Senior,
Guard, 8.4 points per game
Marcus Lewis,
Sophomore, Forward, 9.1 points per game
Ben Sullivan, Junior,
Center, 8.7 points per game
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