Basketball is Coming
Women’s Basketball Preview
The MHCC women’s basketball season has started off swiftly: The team has a handful of games under its belt so far, while its first Northwest Athletic Conference league game is still roughly a month away, on Jan. 4 at home against Umpqua Community College.
Saints team captains – sophomores Savanah Burke, a forward, and Laci Pentzer, a guard, and freshman center Joselyn Scammell – all had positive things to say about the young season.
Asked how they felt about their pre-season training and their first non-league games, they all remarked on how confident they were in their teammates, and were excited about the future.
First-year Saints head Coach Leah McMahon said of her squad, “What I’m really loving so far is the commitment to doing the little things well, even if they seem elementary.
“They elevate each other. You don’t want a team that doesn’t have a little bit of fire,” she added.
The team is young, with only a handful of returning players this year.
“It’s always a learning curve when putting 12 new girls together. But we do a lot of bonding,” assistant coach Jill Shaw said. She said the team does a lot outside of basketball practice, too, such as studying together, helping one another with classes, and just spending time together.
“These girls – I come into practice and I’m already smiling… We give and receive criticism really well,” said Burke.
“We all have a lot of love for each other,” Pentzer said. Having strong support from each other has elevated their playing as a group, the players said.
Scammer, who returned this season to play basketball after a period away, said, “We’re all aware of how lucky we are, and that fuels us to be our best and make use of our time here.”
As to the larger question of “What’s your goal?” each player and coach responded to The Advocate with the same sentiment: “We want to make it to the NWAC (championship) tournament.”
But there’s more to it than just that, McDonald said.
“I want these girls to build a program alongside me that we are proud of,” she said.
Men’s Basketball
The MHCC men’s basketball has been moving along in their preseason training and games, with five games in the books through Dec. 1 – the Saints winning two of those.
Head Coach Alex Syum brings experience coaching all sorts of teams, from community college programs to international club teams. This is his third season coaching the Saints, and he said he has enjoyed them.
During preseason training, Mt. Hood has worked on the basics, Syum said.
“We’ve focused on fundamental skills, and ensuring players are prepared both mentally and physically for the upcoming season,” he said. Practicing shooting accuracy and defensive positioning has been important, along with team communication.
The coach noted that this year’s team has a powerful sense of camaraderie. They spend time outside of practice together, doing study sessions, group activities, and sharing other time on campus. “This connection off the court enhances their teamwork and communication during games,” he said.
A true love for the game is a quality that stands out this autumn, Syum said. There’s also been good chemistry, a good sign for the development of the players’ personal and team success.
The last couple of years on the team have been great, but the Saints have fallen short of goals. This year, the team is dedicated to developing each player’s skills, to leave this season as stronger athletes and individuals.
“They consistently demonstrate respect and support for each other,” Syum said. “Our main goal is to make a deep playoff run, but beyond that, we aim to cultivate growth and excellence.”
In terms of games for Mt. Hood spectators to watch out for, the players are eager to highlight their progress against strong opponents, and the inner city of Portland and cross-town rivals (i.e., Portland Community College and Clackamas Community College) are sure to bring out that desire.
“These games bring a lot of energy and motivation to the season,” said Syum.
Leave a comment