2016 Preseason

@PortlandPilots wrote:First weekend of official practice is in the book for @PilotHoops

There is a short Twitter video with this tweet. Sorry I don't know how to capture it to share it. Has anyone dropped by a practice session? Give us a report.

up7587 wrote:Has anyone dropped by a practice session?  Give us a report.

Come on DD, you've had to have attended a practice by now. I'm curious to know the differences between a Rev practice and a Porter practice.

Who's the little guy with the Odell Beckham hair? Is that Andre Ferguson?

Who's the little guy with the Odell Beckham hair? Is that Andre Ferguson?

Nope, that's Jazz Johnson. And wait until you see how he improved his overall physique. Obviously serious about getting into great shape and showing it!

Shadrach wrote:Who's the little guy with the Odell Beckham hair? Is that Andre Ferguson?

Nope, that's Jazz Johnson. And wait until you see how he improved his overall physique. Obviously serious about getting into great shape and showing it!

That's great news Shadrach. Do we have a strength and conditioning coach yet, or still just an interim?

Shadrach wrote:Nope, that's Jazz Johnson. And wait until you see how he improved his overall physique. Obviously serious about getting into great shape and showing it!

No, I meant this guy...that's not Jazz. Is it?

I think that's Ferguson in the screen capture. But I wonder if Ferguson and Johnson have similar hair styles, because that behind-the-back pass at :12 in the video looks like Jazz, to me. Also that guy is wearing different shoes and outfit than Ferguson.

blacksheep wrote:Do we have a strength and conditioning coach yet, or still just an interim?  

We have this guy: http://www.portlandpilots.com/coaches.aspx?rc=704&path=mbball. Title is Assistant Sports Performance Coach.

Guess DD's golfing.  Maybe Coach Adelman will give us a report.

@TerryPorter30 wrote:Great to have Rick Adelman attend our practice today. So blessed for our friendship! Good practice! #GoPilots

Dad got his cell phone privileges taken away at the county facility.

Something about making rope out of bedsheets.

Pilots check in at #194 in this ranking of all 351 NCAA teams - http://www.cbssports.com/college-basketball/news/duke-kentucky-kansas-top-cbs-sports-1-351-college-basketball-rankings/

194. Portland
Terry Porter, a beloved local basketball figure due to his career with the Trail Blazers, takes over the Pilots' program after a nice, decade-long run by Eric Reveno. Reveno never got Portland into the tourney, but all told, he did a solid job. Now the Pilots will rely on senior do-it-all point guard Alec Wintering.

Opponent rankings -

UC Riverside 275
San Jose State 336
UCLA 10
Dayton 29/Nebraska 107
Colorado 38
UT Rio Grande Valley 321
Boise State 121
South Dakota 293
Oregon State 77
Portland State 283
Cal State Fullerton 250

WCC
Saint Mary's 13
Gonzaga 14
Brigham Young 59
Santa Clara 117
Loyola Marymount 136
Pepperdine 150
San Francisco 234
San Diego 260
Pacific 286

The new Pomeroy rankings are out!

http://www.kenpom.com/

Pilots open up at #173 in the country. Projected to have a 14-15 overall record (second two Wooden games not included) and 8-10 in conference.

Dean Murdoch wrote:Pilots open up at #173 in the country. Projected to have a 14-15 overall record (second two Wooden games not included) and 8-10 in conference.

A conference record of 8-10 would have to be considered "excellent," and would be the most WCC wins since 2010 when the Pilots were 10-4 in conference play....according to KenPom.

The speed, athleticism, shooting, and rebounding at practice Tuesday at the Beauchamp was amazing.....turns out it was some NBA team using the practice court.

StudentPilot wrote:

Dean Murdoch wrote:Pilots open up at #173 in the country. Projected to have a 14-15 overall record (second two Wooden games not included) and 8-10 in conference.

A conference record of 8-10 would have to be considered "excellent," and would be the most WCC wins since 2010 when the Pilots were 10-4 in conference play....according to KenPom.

After Gonzaga, Saint Mary's, and BYU, I think the conference is pretty tricky to figure out.

New coaches at SCU, USF, Pacific, and Portland, and LMU and USD still in re-build mode under new-ish coaches.

Pepperdine returns two key players in Murray and Major, but they are really thin down low. They are being picked 4th by default, I think, but honestly it really wouldn't surprise me if any of the non-GU/SMC/BYU teams finished in the top half of the conference. Except for maybe San Diego. Yeesh.

I think Portland is being given the benefit of the doubt because we are returning two key starters in Wintering (a first-team all-WCC player) and Tyson... and five of our top six scorers overall from last year.

That's what Will Maupin says, too.
http://www.midmajormadness.com/2016/10/26/13395998/west-coast-conference-preseason-power-rankings-gonzaga-saint-marys-byu

Good thing 21 year-old Gonzaga red shirt-sophomore Josh Perkins appeared before a judge who is a graduate of the Gonzaga Law School (Vance Peterson) for his "physical control of a vehicle while under the influence" charge, instead of the Church Educational System (CES) Honor Code committee at BYU.....

StudentPilot wrote:Good thing 21 year-old Gonzaga red shirt-sophomore Josh Perkins appeared before a judge who is a graduate of the Gonzaga Law School (Vance Peterson) for his "physical control of a vehicle while under the influence" charge, instead of the Church Educational System (CES) Honor Code committee at BYU.....

Wow.

And the judge didn't recuse?

Forget what the pollsters are saying, this is what the WCC coaches predict:

1. Gonzaga (7)
2. Saint Mary’s (3)
3. BYU
4. Pepperdine
5. Santa Clara
6. Loyola Marymount
7. Pacific
8. Portland
9. San Francisco
10. San Diego

Alec Wintering selected to the preseason All-WCC team.

StudentPilot wrote:Forget what the pollsters are saying, this is what the WCC coaches predict:

1. Gonzaga (7) {79}
2. Saint Mary’s (3) {75}
3. BYU {65}
4. Pepperdine {53}
5. Santa Clara {49}
6. Loyola Marymount {34}
7. Pacific {29}
8. Portland {28}
9. San Francisco {27}
10. San Diego {11}

Alec Wintering selected to the preseason All-WCC team.

Interesting that not only Mark Few, but 2 other coaches picked SMC over GU.  GU is potentially loaded this year.  Spots 1, 2 & 3 are not too controversial...  but I think 4-9 is wide open.

I added the "points" for how the coaches voted above in {brackets}.  When looking at the points applied, the WCC coaches grouped Pepperdine and SCU close together as 4 & 5, while PAC, UP & USF are a toss up for 7, 8 & 9.  USD was the consensus #10.

[quote="PilotNut"]

StudentPilot wrote:  USD was the consensus #10.

Kinda puts the firing of Brad Holland because his teams weren't going deep in the NCAA tournament in perspective, huh?

Geezaldinho wrote:

PilotNut wrote:

StudentPilot wrote:  USD was the consensus #10.

Kinda puts the firing of Brad Holland because his teams weren't going deep in the NCAA tournament in perspective, huh?

They hired a Gonzaga coach. Success was a sure thing.