Coach Kenya Wilkins pointed to offensive execution. Star Bo Colas be- moaned the lack of defensive stops.
Either way, the Eugene Chargers failed to make the plays necessary Friday to win their first game of the season. Eugene’s 108-105 loss to the Central Oregon Hotshots gave the Chargers consecutive home losses and another loss at Central Saturday, 108-102, kept them winless at 0-3.
Eugene’s available talent can be seen in Colas, a 6-foot-9 high flyer from Florida, and Damon King, a shooting guard with a soft touch. With uncertainty at the point and wing positions, Eugene continues to search for a winning formula.
Multiple point guards rotated in on Friday. The most productive, Andy Perry, a 5-foot-10 Sheldon High product, contributed seven points off the bench in his first significant minutes of the season.
The point guard dilemma might be solved with Wilkins’ decision to don a uniform and play in Saturday night’s loss.
Prior to fouling out with six minutes left, the 30-year-old Wilkins scored seven points in his first game this season. King led Eugene with 25 points.
Eugene’s close loss Friday again relied on production from post player Colas, who delivered another double-double with 30 points, 21 rebounds, four assists and three blocks. King led Eugene with 31 points.
“We come out here and every time we step on the court, I feel like we should win the game,” a visibly upset Colas said afterward. “We need to do the stuff to win the game. Obviously we didn’t so we lost – it hurts.”
Trailing 104-103, and less than a minute left, Eugene fed Colas, who spun in the post and missed a short jumper off the front end of the rim.
“That was a basket our team needed,” Colas said. “I figure when the ball’s down low I have a good chance of scoring, but obviously I didn’t that play and that hurt our team.”
John Randolph leapt for the loose ball and made two free throws after he was purposely fouled. Eugene’s Ethnie Stubbs went for a layup with the Chargers down three and nine seconds remaining, drawing a foul and making two free throws. After Carlton Summers made two free throws, The Chargers’ Michael Harper missed a desperation three-pointer from the top of the key as time expired.
Originally, Wilkins wanted to rest Colas for a game the next day, but couldn’t.
All game long, Central’s Steve Moss-Kelly made long distance shots falling down or drove to the hoop past Eugene’s guards. He and Summers each scored 27 points and point guard Anthony Lewis Jr. had 13.
Former Oregon center Matt Short’s one-game stint ended earlier this week. He made an agreement with the Chargers to play one game (he had two points and two rebounds last Friday) and make a decision on whether or not he wanted to stay with the team. He voted no.
“We gave Matt an opportunity to decide if he wanted to continue with us,” Wilkins said. “It was an open door for Matt to come in.”
Fans of Oregon men’s basketball flocked to Morse Center to see Short play Salem last week, so his absence was noticeable with pockets of empty seats against Central. The remaining fans showed emotion similar to the normally reserved Wilkins, who made passionate arguments on several referee’s calls Friday night.
“The team needed to see me fighting for them on the side – try to get them going,” Wilkins said. “I tried to use that to pick the team up and carry them through different spells of the game.”

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