Pioneers Defense Leads to a Victory

University Center, MI---The Pioneers started the second half of the conference season with a 66-56 victory over St. Clair County Community College. 

The Pioneers started the game with some tight defense which led to great offensive execution.  The Pioneers jumped out to a 22-4 lead 8minutes into the game.  The Skippers refused to stop playing hard and begin to make a big push to finish half out on a 22-6 run sparked by great free-throw shooting from the skippers.  The Pioneers lost control of the lead due to missed free-throws and open jumps shots.  Despite the bad finish to the half the Pioneers lead 29-26.

In the second half feeling the momentum slipped towards the Skippers the Pioneers came out on a 6-0 run sparked by great half court defense.  The difference from the first half to the second was the intensity St. Clare brought defensively after the initial push by Delta.  The game became a back forth track meet with some spectacular dunk by Jonathan Lindsey and some smooth shooting by the Pioneers. 

In the last 4 minutes of the game after a deep three pointer from Christopher Parker the Skippers tied the game and then it became a game of nutrition.  The Pioneers went up by 2 points on a Benjamin Batts 19 points, 3 ast., and 3 rebs., (Arthur Hill/Saginaw, MI) jump shot than the defense of the Pioneers became stifling.  In consecutive positions the Pioneers got two steals which lead to Batts scoring two dunks to push the lead up to 6 points with less than 2 minutes remaining in the game.  After a St. Clair timeout the Skippers missed a contested three point shot which led to a fast break dunk by Justin Person 8 points, 2 steals (Flint Carman-Ainsworth/Flint, MI)  Markell Bradshaw 13 points, 4 rebs., (Saginaw/Saginaw, MI) closed the game out from the free throw line which led to the final score of 66-56. 

"We started out great as a team with intensity and we finished the game the same way.  We are still looking for consistency from start to finish and not just start of the game and finishing because the middle moments is what shapes if you can finish.  We are becoming a better team in certain moments with a lot of room to grow."  Coach Kyle Blackbourn. 

The Pioneers look to travel to Macomb Community College on February 4^th.  Game time will be at 7:30pm after the women's game.