The game plan for the Oregon men’s basketball team this season includes running, running, and a little more running.
Head coach Ernie Kent, playing a mostly guard-oriented lineup, challenged his team to push the ball in order to keep the pressure on the opposition, and, on Monday, Oregon ran the Southern Oregon Raiders out of McArthur Court, turning an 18-point halftime lead into a 106-49 victory in the final exhibition game.
“That team played with us in the first half in terms of just staying in the game a little bit,” Kent said. “Eventually we just basically wore them down.”
Guard Chamberlain Oguchi led the way with 24 points and forward Maarty Leunen added 14 points and 15 rebounds to lead the Ducks to the convincing win. More importantly, Kent said he saw his team make great strides from its first exhibition game last Wednesday, a 93-55 win against Lewis and Clark.
“We were in much, much, better rhythm,” Kent said. “We did a much better job defensively of staying after it. So in all areas of the game, we were a lot more crisper and just more efficient, and that’s what we were hoping to accomplish.”
The season officially starts on Friday at home against Lehigh in the three-game Basketball Travelers Classic. The Ducks face Cal State Northridge Saturday and Portland State on Sunday. After Monday, the Ducks feel they’re ready to rebound from last season’s 15-18 finish.
“I think we’re in a very, very good spot,” Oguchi said. “We struggled against Southern Oregon (last year) and to come out here and beat a team by nearly 60. That just says a lot about where we are as a team. Everything felt a lot better.”
After Southern Oregon trailed by just five points with less than 10 minutes to play in the first half, the Ducks went on a 13-2 run behind two three-pointers and a jumper from freshman guard Tajuan Porter and closed the half on a 25-12 run to take a 48-30 lead into the break. Oregon blew the game open in the second half by shooting a scorching 62.5 percent and holding the Raiders to 25 percent shooting.
Notes
– Leunen, who has twice recorded double digits in rebounds this season, left the game momentarily after drawing a charge and receiving a cut on his chin that required four stitches. He later returned donning a No. 33 jersey last worn by Luke Jackson.
– In keeping with Oregon’s plan to push the ball, Kent said he specifically challenged guards Bryce Taylor and Oguchi both defensively and running the court. Oguchi said Kent tossed him pink silly putty in practice when he thought the guards were “playing soft.” Kent said he thought Oguchi and Taylor responded well to the challenge. Oguchi scored a team-high 24 points and Taylor added 13 points and a team-high three steals.
Oguchi, primarily known for his lethal range, also said he’s looking to take the ball to the hoop more often this season. He made three of seven three-pointers Monday.
“Good teams are going to take away his jumper and he needs to be able to understand shot fake, put it on the floor and go to the hole,” Kent said. “He’s doing a good job of that right now.”
– Porter, in just his second game as a Duck, again was effective from behind the arc. He is 16 of 31 total from three-point range and, after 14 points Monday, has scored 43 points this season.
– Point guard Aaron Brooks will serve a one-game suspension Friday for his hit on Washington’s Ryan Appleby in last season’s Pac-10 tournament. Brooks will also miss Oregon’s game at Washington on Jan. 25. In his absence, senior Adrian Stelly and Porter will start.
“I’m going to have the best seat in the house,” Brooks said. “I have no worries whatsoever. I’m just going to enjoy the game.”
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