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Portland Basketball: Portland Pilots 2015-16 Season Preview

By David Thompson

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Portland Pilots

2014-2015 Record: 17-16 (7-11, WCC)
Postseason:CIT – First Round

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I can’t help it that whenever I look at the Portland Pilots, I see them through the rose colored glasses of an alumnus and probably one of their biggest fans.

Like Bill Simmons talking about the Celtics, I tend to believe Portland is closer to the center of the college basketball universe than they actually are. So with all that said, I really like the 2015-2016 edition of the Portland Pilots.

The reason for my optimism, other than being a glass-half full person, comes down to the personalities on this team.

When Portland was at their best between 2009-2012 they had strong leaders at multiple positions. Despite losing most of their front court, the Pilots retain their strongest leaders in Alec Wintering and Bryce Pressley and that has me optimistic.

Newcomers

G– Rashad Jackson
F/C– Colin Russell
G – Jazz Johnson
G/F – Chier Maker
C – Ray Barreno
G/F– Jarrel Marshall
G– Xavier Hallinan

Key Non-Conference Games

Nov. 20 at Colorado – Let’s be honest, I’m most excited for this game because I live in Denver and get to see my Pilots in the flesh. But all bias aside, this is a true test early in the season for Portland. Coach Reveno has never been afraid of scheduling tough opponents, making trips to Lexington and East Lansing over the past couple of years just as an example.

While the Buffs don’t command the same respect as a Kentucky or Michigan State, they are a program trending up over the past few seasons, and Josh Scott is a real NBA prospect who should challenge this inexperienced Portland front line.

Dec. 2 vs. Boise State – I’m just going to say it, Boise State doesn’t get the the national attention it deserves as a basketball program. Out West if you’re not in the Pac-12, or Gonzaga, SDSU, or BYU it can be tough to get noticed.

Just a reminder, the Broncos were co-champs of the Mountain West last season, and the fact that Portland gets to take on Boise State at the Chiles Center should be a great litmus test just a few weeks before the WCC season starts.

Dec. 18-19 Far West Classic at Moda Center – I talked about the historical significance of the Far West Classic in the Oregon State preview, and I really like that the Beavers and Pilots have worked to bring this Yuletide tradition back from the grave.

The timing is just about perfect as students will already have gone home for Christmas break so the Pilots will be hoping for a friendly Rip City Crowd when they face off against Weber State and Cal State Fullerton.

Key Players

Alec Wintering – In his sophomore season, Alec Wintering improved in almost every statistical category on his already impressive freshman campaign. He played in more games, increased his minutes per game, and took more attempts per game while being more efficient.

He got to the line more, rebounded more, fouled less, increased his assist average while increasing his assist to turnover ratio. He even recorded a block. There’s no question that this preseason All-WCC selection will be “the guy” on this Portland team.

Jason Todd – Any comic book fan will recognize Jason Todd as Robin, and eventually Red Hood.

Todd’s story arc is complicated but essentially he starts off as a sidekick but soon outgrows that role en route to a starring role in the comics. I see a similar arc for Portland’s Todd in context of his basketball career.

At this moment, he is under the radar, but vital to this team’s success. He’s the type of player who jumps out at you when watching a game. He seems to always be in the right position to make a play, a skill that is difficult to quantify but the type of guy every coach would want on their team.

Season Outlook

Where this team may struggle is on defense, especially defending the post. The front line is inexperienced, and when you look over at Gonzaga and see Karnowski, Sabonis, and Wiltjer it’s pretty intimidating.

With that being said, I believe Wintering is talented enough of a star player, and Pressley and Todd are both underrated enough that this team could push into the Top 4 of the WCC if things go as planned.

Problem for Portland is that since their magical run in the 76 classic back in 2009, things haven’t always gone to plan.

Next: Marcus Paige Out for 3 to 4 Weeks With a Broken Hand