Pilots fall to Cougars 72-60 in final home game of the season

By Nischal Mali | February 23, 2018 9:52am
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Coach Terry Porter is visibly frustrated with questionable calls made by the referees. The team was unable to find a lead throughout the game.

Media Credit: Annika Gordon / The Beacon

In their last home game of the 2017-2018 season, the Portland Pilots took on the Brigham Young Cougars in a game that could only be described as frustrating. In a Chiles Center full of 3,003 fans cheering for both Portland and BYU, the Pilots trailed throughout the game, unable to gain the offensive momentum to overcome the Cougar’s defense, losing 72-60.

Senior Philipp Hartwich tries to make a play against BYU in his final home game.
by Jeff Braccia / The Beacon


Despite the loss, Freshman Marcus Shaver Jr. led the game with 21 points, putting in basket after basket, giving a vibrant energy to the University of Portland crowd. Freshman Malcolm Porter also played well, filling up the scoreboard with 10 points of his own. After the game, Shaver said he saw that the team was “starting off slow and needed a spark.”

Pictured are Freshmen Marcus Shaver and JoJo Walker. The Pilots have one of the youngest rotations in the country and has started three freshmen for the past seven games.
by Annika Gordon / The Beacon


The game was also the last time the Pilots will play at home for the 2017-2018 season. Leaving the Bluff are seniors D'Marques Tyson and Philipp Hartwich, both of which are not leaving without leaving their mark on the program. Tyson is only five points shy of becoming the 40th pilot to have scored 1,000 points as well as having made 248 career three pointers, the second most in UP history. 

Senior D'Marques Tyson ends his last home game on the Bluff, five points short of becoming the 40th Pilot to score 1,000 points. His last opportunity to make this up will be this Saturday against Pepperdine.
by Annika Gordon / The Beacon


Earlier this season, Hartwich, who has started all 30 games this season, now also holds the UP record for blocked shots (158). He also led the team with 11 rebounds. Hartwich says that he appreciates the support of the fans over the past four years.

Senior Philipp Hartwich accepts flowers from head coach Terry Porter on senior night.
by Jeff Braccia / The Beacon


“When I first got here I was a skinny German kid who weighed only 210 pounds and they took me under their wing and let me become the player I wanted to become and I appreciate that,” Hartwich said. 

Senior center Philipp Hartwich palms the ball looking to make a play.
by Jeff Braccia / The Beacon


The team will play their next game at Pepperdine University, who is currently ranked at the bottom of the West Coast Conference, this Saturday at 5 p.m. 

Nischal Mali is a reporter for The Beacon and he can be reached at mali20@up.edu and on Twitter at @NischalMali
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