By Nathan Deen
Published on January 30, 2008
The PJC men’s basketball team continued their losing streak, which now stands at six, Wednesday night after losing to Tallahassee Community College 97-69.
PJC head coach Paul Swanson said that this was the first game this season where he felt his team was outplayed in every way imaginable. Statistically, with the exception of rebounds, they did.
TCC played nearly seamless in all aspects of the game. The Eagles had five players score in double figures, had 18 assists, grabbed 40 rebounds (only three less than PJC) shot 52 percent from the field, made 12 three-pointers and converted on 19 of 26 free throw attempts.
“This team has been coming together,” said TCC head coach Eddie Barnes whose team just came off a close overtime loss to No.1 ranked Chipola.
TCC came into the game drastically undersized as 7-foot-3-inch center Jason Bennett was unable to play. 6-foot-7-inch forward Rory Miller was able to make up for that disadvantage with 20 points. But the post wasn’t the key element in the game. The difference was the guard tandem of Jermaine Dixon and Shamar Coombs who lit up the perimeter and combined for 45 points.
PJC shot only 35 percent from the field and only 20 percent from the 3-point line. Guard Lasha Parghalava, who lost his starting position due to inconsistent performances, went 1 of 12 from the perimeter.
Defensively, the Pirates were unable to stop TCC’s transition game, whether it be a drive to the basket or a spot-up 3-pointer.
“We played poor defense,” said Swanson. “We got outplayed. We played a very, very poor game at both ends of the floor. We never matched the energy they had. We could never really get anything going.”
Forward Petras Balocka led PJC with another double-double, 18 points and 13 rebounds. Forward Miles Taylor finished with 13 points and 6 rebounds.
Now that PJC has fallen to 0-6 in the conference, Swanson said that it’s not about winning and losing anymore.
“It’s pride,” Swanson said. “Right now it isn’t about anything else. It’s personal pride.”
Swanson and his team will try to carry that attitude over to their next home game against Gulf Coast on Saturday at 7:30 p.m.