The Lumberjack



Students Serving The Cal Poly Humboldt Campus and Community Since 1929

Tag: hsu mens basketball

  • Jacks Beat Pioneers In Final Non-Conference Tune-Up

    Jacks Beat Pioneers In Final Non-Conference Tune-Up

    Humboldt State’s persistent offense pushes its preseason to a 4-1 record

    After gaining a home win in a 91-85 game over the Antelope Valley Pioneers on Nov. 13, the Jacks turned their attention to a different Pioneers team in their final non-conference, tune-up game.

    Humboldt State played against the Pacific Union College’s Pioneers on Saturday night in front of a packed Lumberjack Arena crowd.

    Offense has not been a problem for the HSU men’s basketball team in the few games they have played this season. In the four games prior to Saturday’s match, the Jacks’ lowest scored points in a game was 89, which came in two separate games against Southern Oregon and Fresno Pacific.

    The game against Pacific Union was no different as the Jacks’ offense fired on all cylinders. Five different scorers reached double-digit point totals for the Jacks. Despite Pacific Union tying the game twice in the second half, the Jacks never relinquished the lead and beat the Pacific Union Pioneers 86-80.

    Less than a minute later, Lewis hit a deep three right at the halftime buzzer giving the Jacks the 44-34 lead.

    Two successful shots from seniors Rob Lewis and Zachariah Christian had the Jacks out to an early 4-0 lead. The defense started strong by preventing the Pioneers from scoring in the first four minutes of the half.

    The Jacks eventually found an 11-2 run, but a few turnovers and missed shots allowed the Pioneers to close the deficit to 13-8 just before the first media timeout. The Jacks widened the lead to 11 points a bit later on in the half.

    Freshman Isaiah Pope splashed three-pointers on back-to-back possessions and brought the Lumberjack Arena crowd to a roar.

    Less than a minute later, Lewis hit a deep three right at the halftime buzzer giving the Jacks the 44-34 lead.

    The second half was more of a test for Humboldt State. The Jacks’ shots weren’t falling like they were in the first half as their shot from the field dropped from 50 percent to 40 percent.

    Humboldt State senior Leland Green jumps past Pacific Union’s defense during the Jacks’ game at Lumberjack Arena on Nov. 16. | Photo by Thomas Lal

    Despite the drop in production from the offense, the Jacks used the free-throw line to their advantage to close out the game, going 15-20 from the charity stripe. With three minutes left, Pioneers’ senior Marc Williams hit a three to tie it up at 73-73. The ensuing Jacks’ possession resulted in senior Leland Green drawing the foul and sinking two free throws. The Jacks pulled away with the victory.

    The Jacks gained contributions on offense from several different players. Senior Leland Green led the team with 17 points, Lewis had 14 and sophomore Amari Green had 12. Christian lead the team with nine rebounds.

    Despite the win and the offensive production, Head Coach Steve Kinder stressed the need to work on defense heading into conference play.

    “Pacific Union did a great job on sharing the ball, penetrating and kicking to open shooters,” Kinder said. “We had a difficult time keeping guys ahead of us.”

    After the game, Jacks’ center Arash Poorsina also stressed the need to work on defense, but he touted the chemistry that the team has built up with each other early in the season.

    “The good thing about this team is that no one really loses faith in one another,” Poorsina said. “We all know our skill set, we all know the things that we can do.”

  • HSU Gets Exhibition Win Over Southern Oregon

    HSU Gets Exhibition Win Over Southern Oregon

    A back and forth battle sends the Raiders home in sorrow

    With the start of the season just around the corner, Jacks point guard Amari Green is confident that the Jacks will provide excellent results in their season opener against a good Point Loma team in San Diego on Friday.

    “We’re ready, we go to San Diego on Thursday and we’ll be playing against two very good teams,” Green said. “We have the right pieces and are tight-knit as a group and as long as we stay together we are going to take it all the way.”

    After dealing with a power outage during their first exhibition game and switching arenas to coincide with the HSU volleyball team, HSU men’s basketball returned to Lumberjack Arena for an exhibition game against the Southern Oregon University Raiders on Tuesday night.

    As the tip-off signaled the start of the first half, the Jacks wasted no time gaining possession of the ball and building an early 12 point lead over the Raiders. Missed shots from the Raiders hindered any early progress and helped the Jacks employ effective passing strategies.

    Humboldt State forward Raysean Scott Jr goes up for a layup through a crowd of Southern Oregon players in Lumberjack Arena on Nov. 5.

    Jacks players were quick and efficient, but as time progressed in the first half it didn’t take long for the Raiders to overcome its faltered plays and establish a tie. Jacks forward Raysean Scott Jr made his presence known as he maneuvered around the Raiders and found the basket.

    Raysean was a recipient of fouls from the Raiders, and at the free-throw line his teammates and opponents were aligned and ready to pounce on the ball at any given moment. He made five of his seven free-throws, which was enough to put points on the board.

    Both teams became physically involved and the battle for possession of the ball became intense. Fouls were arising and it was crucial that the Jacks avoided any potential mishaps.

    “They were calling ticky-tack fouls, so we tried to keep our hands up so [the refs] could see we weren’t fouled,” Jacks guard Leland Green said.

    Despite the game becoming physical, both teams managed to keep their composure by limiting their mistakes and avoiding technical fouls. After the first half Green said their offense improved when the Raiders attempted to outscore the Jacks.

    “I think we all played good,” Green said. “We let up the pressure, and as the game went on we realized we needed to apply more pressure.”

    Humboldt State forward Raysean Scott Jr jumps for the shot in Lumberjack Arena on Nov. 5.

    Players made their way back to the court for the second half which saw an influx of team chemistry with the Jacks. Activity from Jacks guard Isaiah Pope was at an all-time high as he delivered additional points on the board, giving his team an advantage over the Raiders.

    Raysean was substituted earlier in the second half, and his return to the court towards the end became a powder keg to an already highly active crowd which almost blew the roof off Lumberjack Arena.

    A staggered Raiders team dwindled in the final seconds of the game, and Raysean still delivered a blow to their morale with his slam dunk, making the final score 89-74. After the game, head coach Steve Kinder shared some inspiring words that he hopes to carry into the next games.

    “Through those wars and battles you try to stay composed and poised throughout the game,” Kinder said. “Whether things are going well, you can’t get too high and when things are going poorly you can’t get too low.”