All 12 Wayland Baptist Pioneers – including eight newcomers – made an impact in the team's season-opener Friday afternoon, but none more than
Thomas Miles and
Chinedu Okonkwo.
Miles pumped in a game-high 22 points and had five steals while Okonkwo finished with 21 points and nine rebounds to lead Wayland to an impressive 96-52 win over Arlington Baptist in Hutcherson Center.
"At different times we've had different players step up in our practices and our scrimmages, so we weren't really sure (what to expect from whom)," WBU coach
Ty Harrelson said. "I think we have quite a few weapons, and we saw that today. We have several guys who can do a little bit of everything."
Miles, a junior guard from Portland, Ore., who transferred from Midland College, hit six 3-pointers in going 8-of-12 from the field while Okonkwo, a 6-foot-7 senior forward from Nigeria by way of West Florida University, made nine of his 11 shots and ended one rebound shy of a double-double.
"Chin and Thomas shot really high percentages," Harrelson said. "Chin was really strong around the basket. We felt like he needed to step in and be the replacement for
Jack Nobles. (Nobles was all-conference for WBU last season and now serves as graduate assistant coach.) They get to work together every day, so Jack can help him out in a lot of ways."
As a team Wayland shot 54 percent (35-of-65) from the field, hitting 13-of-33 3-pointers (39 percent) and 13-of-16 free throws (81 percent). Conversely, the Patriots (0-2) – whose dropped their season-opener to Texas Wesleyan, 103-65 – were held to 27 percent shooting (15-of-55).
No one made a bigger defensive impact than
Jibrael Washington. The 6-foot-8 senior blocked six shots, including two on one possession, as he picked up where he left off last season when he finished seventh in the NAIA with 56 swats.
"I thought our defensive pressure was excellent," Harrelson said. "
Javorian Miller is a great defender. He was playing his first college basketball game after playing football for a couple of years (at Abilene Christian University) and was really strong physically.
"Jibrael's six blocks were impressive, and Thomas had five steals.
Devin Avent and Javorian can really apply ball pressure."
The Pioneers scored the game's first seven points and never trailed. Their lead was only four, 17-13, midway through the first half when Wayland went on a 9-0 run to take control.
Gage Hulse contributed five points during that spurt, which he capped with a 3-pointer.
"Gage came in in the first half and really changed the speed of the game. He got a couple of quick breaks and made a shot or two," Harrelson said.
The Pioneers, who got 19 assists from 10 different players, outscored the Patriots, 18-3, over the final four minutes of the first half to assume a 51-24 edge at the break.
"I'm pleased. Anytime you play your first game of the season, first you want to get the win, then you want to play well and play together as a team and have fun. I think that happened today," Harrelson said.
Wayland is next in action Nov. 5 at No. 2 Mid-America Christian in the first of five games this fall against Sooner Athletic Conference competition. That contest will count in the overall records but not in the conference standings.
MACU, picked to repeat as SAC regular-season champion, opens its season Oct 31 at home against Manhattan Christian College.
