Men’s Basketball: Seniors to lead the way

After finishing last season with a school-record 19 wins under third-year head coach Ken Bone, the Vikings find themselves preparing to make a run at the Big Sky title and a birth in the NCAA Tournament.

“With the personnel and experience we have back, we have the opportunity to do some great things and compete for a conference championship,” Bone said.

That experience starts with the three returning seniors in guards Deonte Huff and Dupree Lucas, and three-year starter center Scott Morrison.

“We have high expectations for those seniors to lead us on and off the court,” Bone said. “It’s their turn to try and lead us in the right direction.”

Huff and Lucas are two proven scorers who have the ability to take over a game on the offensive end. Lucas was named Big Sky Newcomer of the Year, and second team All-Big Sky after averaging 13.2 points and 3.9 assists to lead the Vikings in both categories, and scored over 30 points on two occasions last season.

Huff found his game down the stretch a year ago, contributing a workman-like 18 points and nine rebounds over the final six games, while shooting at a 70 percent clip.

Although Huff and Lucas will be relied upon for their scoring, Bone praised Lucas’ defensive intensity and Huff’s rebounding ability.

The Vikings’ heavy lifting will be done by Morrison, the team’s defensive standout. Morrison, the lone player remaining from a Portland State team that finished first in the Big Sky in 2005, holds school records for blocked shots in a career, season and game.

If the Vikings want to compete with Montana and Weber State at the top of the conference, they are going to need strong play out of their underclassmen and newcomers. In particular, junior point guard Jeremiah Dominguez, a transfer from the University of Portland, will be expected to control the tempo of the game and make good decisions with the ball.

Portland State will face a strenuous non-conference schedule, opening the season at No. 2 UCLA tonight and facing No. 10 Washington State in early December, and should be well tested before beginning Big Sky play.

“It’s good experience for us to go into different venues and play against top teams in the country, and it should only make us better,” Bone said. “You find out real quickly where you stand.”