COLLEGE BASKETBALL - Mt. Hood CC men off to a 7-5 start, looks to challenge Clackamas in league

A roster filled with returning talent has Mt. Hood CC men's basketball coach Geoff Gibor optimistic about a title run this winter. The Saints are off to a 7-5 start to the season, despite a heavy road schedule that has seen the team log more than 3,000 miles. The biggest challenge came on a trip to California for a holiday tournament that featured four top-15 teams from down south. Mt. Hood split its four games on that trip.

'The goal is always to win the South, and we wanted a tough schedule for prepare us for league,' Gibor said. 'This team has been resilient and has never quit on a game. It's exciting as a coach to see them leave everything on the floor.'

Directing this year's attack is the veteran backcourt duo of Drew Johnson and Marcus Moore. Johnson, a Barlow High graduate, returns to the court after missing last season with a stress fracture, while Moore was the team's top scorer last year at 12.4 points per game. He was among the NWAACC leaders in 3-point shooting 47-of-122 (.385).

'Defense and rebounding are our two main things, but we're a pretty athletic group that can get out and run,' Gibor said. 'Our big guys can get up and down the court, but in the half-court set we'll look to send the ball inside.'

Look for our full preview in the Dec. 28 edition of The Outlook and Sandy Post.