It didn’t take long for Malik Hairston to make his impact felt in his first game wearing an Oregon uniform.
Behind Hairston’s 30 points in just 19 minutes of play, the Ducks used a strong second-half showing to defeat Trinity Western 106-79 in an exhibition game Sunday in front of 8,918 at McArthur Court.
Hairston missed just two shots the entire game as he connected on 10 of 12 field goals, including 3 of 4 from three-point range. In the second half, Hairston scored 16 points in only eight minutes of play.
After the game, the 17-year-old gave credit to his teammates for getting him the ball in the right places at the right time.
“The guys just found me when I was open,” said Hairston, who added nine rebounds and three assists. “I mean, they tried to make me look good, and I want to return the favor in these upcoming games.”
Oregon head coach Ernie Kent had nothing but praise for his star freshman, who he said was “completely at ease and composed” every minute he was on the court.
“Let’s just remember he’s only 17 years old,” Kent said. “(He) made all the right plays, all the right decisions. What a treat to have a player of that caliber.”
However, Kent said that fans should not expect Hairston to wow the crowd with eye-popping plays throughout the season, as that is not the type of player he is.
“I think people are waiting to see Michael Jordan, with the dunks and all that — that’s not his game,” Kent said. “His game is a complete, all-around game. He can pass it, he can shoot it, he can get to the hole, he rebounds and defends.”
In the first half, Trinity Western kept the game within reach on a 7-1 run that closed the Oregon lead to 45-35 entering halftime.
The Spartans were led by guard Adam Friesen, a Tualatin native, who had 10 points at the end of the first half. Friesen, who attended Lane Community College, finished the game with 31 points and nine rebounds.
The Oregon lead could have grown even larger if it weren’t for continuously missed lay-ups and shots inside the paint. Kent said his coaches counted “16 point-blank lay-ups alone” that his squad missed in the first half.
“We missed due to nerves and jitters a little bit,” Kent said. “But once we settled down, I thought this team did a really, really good job of sharing the basketball and scoring the basketball. We will shoot it better once we get comfortable with the crowds.”
In the second half, the Ducks turned up their defensive pressure and used size to their advantage against Trinity Western, whose tallest player stood at just 6-foot-8. Oregon went on a 12-2 run during the first two minutes of the second half to take a 57-37 lead, essentially sealing the game’s fate. The Spartans got no closer than 12 points the rest of the way.
Kent said the group who started the second half — including Hairston, Aaron Brooks and Jordan Kent — asserted themselves defensively to take control of the game.
“We made some adjustments at halftime,” Kent said. “I thought the group that started the second half (did well). We just jumped out to a 20-point lead like nothing.
Another freshman who made a big contribution was 6-foot-5 guard Bryce Taylor. Coming off the bench, Taylor was the team’s second-leading scorer with 13 points on six-of-13 shooting in 18 minutes.
“That’s just how I play; with no fear,” Taylor said. “I know that’s what I do best; I shoot the ball. I just get out there and if I’m open, I’m going to shoot it.”
Alex Tam is a freelance reporter
for the Daily Emerald