Box Score
Pilots Rout Concordia in Exhibition Opener
Photos
PORTLAND, Ore. --- Junior forward Ryan Nicholas scored 16 points and grabbed 10 rebounds as the Portland Pilots opened the 2012-13 season with an 87-69 exhibition victory over the Concordia Cavaliers Saturday night at the Chiles Center. Nicholas led four Pilots in double figures as 11 of the 12 players to see game action scored.
Portland’s four freshmen got their first taste of collegiate basketball and each scored. Bryce Pressley (Sacramento, Calif./Jesuit HS) scored nine points and grabbed three rebounds in 11 minutes of action. Oskars Reinfelds (Riga, Latvia/Canarias Basketball Academy) finished with five points in seven minutes. Jake Ehlers (Corvallis, Ore./Corvallis HS) had four points and David Ahearn (Novato, Calif./Marin Catholic HS) had two points.
The Pilots jumped out to an early double digit lead behind an efficient offense. Junior guard Tanner Riley scored all 12 of his points in the first half on 5-of-7 shooting, including a pair of three-pointers. Junior guard Korey Thieleke gave Portland a 22-12 lead with a driving layup and a Nicholas three-pointer with 45 seconds remaining made it 48-34 at the break. The Pilots shot 63 percent from the field in the first period (17-27), while holding the Cavaliers to 34 percent (11-32).
The lead ballooned to as much as 28 points midway through the second period as the Pilots substituted liberally. All 12 players that saw action played at least seven minutes, with sophomore point guard David Carr recording 10 points and eight assists in a team-high 31 minutes.
Portland finished the game at 53 percent from the field, 39 percent from three-point range (5-13) and 18-for-23 at the foul line. Concordia shot 36 percent from the floor. The Pilots had 17 assists and committed 13 turnovers.
Willy Ligon led the Cavaliers with 15 points off the bench, while Adam Herman added 14 points and nine rebounds.
Portland will play one final exhibition game when the defending NAIA National Champion Concordia-Irvine Eagles visit the Chiles Center on Saturday at 4 p.m. The Pilots open the regular season on Nov. 10 at Ohio, which returns almost its entire roster from a squad that reach the Sweet 16 a season ago.
