Box Score
Pioneer Basketball vs Schreiner Gallery
Having 16 days between games didn't bother the Wayland Baptist University Pioneers. In fact, it did wonders for some of them, especially
Theo Hatcher.
Making his first start of the season, Hatcher almost tripled his season high for points by scoring 22 points and almost doubled his season best for rebounds by pulling down 11 to lead Wayland to a 78-60 victory over Schreiner University on Thursday afternoon at Hutcherson Center.
“Theo really came ready to play,” Wayland coach
Matt Garnett said of the 6-foot-6, 250-pound senior forward from Deerfield Beach, Fla. “His performance was a direct reflection of his commitment the last 10 days of practice.”
Hatcher, who did not score in Wayland's last game against Lubbock Christian University, made 9-of-13 field goals, including 4-of-6 from 3-point range.
Another Pioneer big man, 6-foot-6, 260-pound
Juhreece Thompson, also posted some impressive numbers – 17 points and five boards off the bench – while guards
Tanner Hazelbaker and
Travis Payton added 15 and 11 points, respectively, for the Pioneers (7-5). Payton ended with seven assists.
“Down the stretch, Juhreece, Theo and Tanner really made some gutsy plays in big moments,” Garnett said. “Theo and Juhreece really battled under the glass on the offensive boards in the last five minutes. They all stepped up and made plays.”
Schreiner (5-6) led most of the contest's first seven minutes, but Wayland scored 10 unanswered points – with Hatcher and Thompson combining for all 10 – to take a 15-9 lead.
The Mountaineers came back and went up 25-24, but after Hatcher nailed a 3-pointer with just under 5 minutes left in the first half, the Pioneers never trailed again. Wayland put in eight straight points to take a nine-point lead before Schreiner scored right before halftime, making it 39-32 at the break.
Schreiner never got closer than five in the second half, and although Wayland won by 18, the Pioneers didn't put it away until late.
“They've been in every game, and it looked kind of like we were headed that way with them,” Garnett said of the Mountaineers.
A 3-pointer by Hatcher made it 53-40 with 10:20 to go, and the Pioneers appeared to be salting it away. But Schreiner recorded the next six points, prompting Garnett to call a timeout.
“When we made the run to get (the lead) into double digits and they came back on us, our response was a real positive,” Garnett said. “We've been really working on handling the ups and downs of the game, and when that adversity hits learning to embrace it and execute.”
Wayland came out of the timeout and tallied the next five points to again appear to be taking control, but the Mountaineers had one last run in them.
A 3-pointer by Schreiner's Ethan Catalani made it 65-57 with just over four minutes remaining, then Hazelbaker responded for Wayland with his own bomb. Milam and Thompson hit four free throws in a row to make it 72-57, then Hazelbaker score Wayland's final six points, including four foul shots.
“Making free throws was huge,” Garnett said of his team's 13-of-16 performance at the charity stripe.
The coach also spoke highly of his team's defensive response in crunch time.
“Every game, especially in conference play, will come down to opportunities to make big defensive plays and make stops. We let some opportunities early in the game slip by, but when it was under 5 minutes (in the game) we were able to come up with some big defensive possessions and knock down our free throws on the other end. That's a good formula to win ballgames.”
Schreiner was led by Travis Pflughaupt's 16 points. Taylor Finley added 12.
“We held them to 36 percent field goal shooting and under 30 (percent) from the 3-point line. Now we have to be very critical of what was them just missing shots and us forcing them into tough shots,” Garnett said.
Wayland, which held a 45-37 rebounding edge, shot 46 percent from the field (29-of-63), including 39 percent (7-of-18) from long range.
The Pioneers get another break – eight days – before hosting the Pioneer Holiday Classic. Wayland takes on Texas Lutheran at 3 p.m. Dec. 28 and Sul Ross State at 3 p.m. Dec. 29, then returns to the bulk of its Sooner Athletic Conference schedule.
Garnett said he was proud of his team's effort against Schreiner in its last game before Christmas.
“We wanted to be able to carry over some positive momentum. I believe we seized an opportunity to do that. Now it will be good for them to get a little family time before we get right back at it.”
