Cameron Forte exerted his authority early and often. The attention Portland State’s star big man demanded opened up the lane like the Red Sea for De’Sean Parsons and his teammates.
Forte, a fifth-year graduate transfer from Georgia, scored 11 of Portland State’s first 15 points and 21 in the first half. The southpaw’s ability to dominate on the block demanded a constant double team from the guard-oriented Bears of Northern Colorado.
PSU forward Cameron Forte
With a host of Bears rotating to the block to slow down Forte, Parsons was able to slash through lane and draw contact consistently. Eleven of his 21 points came at the free throw line and his two second-half offensive rebounds helped kill Northern Colorad runs as the Bears tried to come storming back.
Forte, a second-team All-Big Sky selection, scored all five of his second half points to squelch a feverish Northern Colorado rally. Parsons finished with 21 points, six rebounds and four assists as the eighth-seeded Vikings advanced in the first round of the Big Sky Conference Tournament with a 74-67 victory over ninth-seeded UNC.
“I wanted to do anything at all costs to help our team win,” said Forte, who finished with 26 points and 12 rebounds. “Coming in, we didn’t play them well in the regular season and I knew they would have a chip on their shoulder after they beat Montana. My mentality was to do whatever I could to help us move on.”
Forte converted his first six shots and his first three free throws in scoring 15 of PSU’s first 19 points. He used slick footwork in the post and a soft touch to rattle home several shots through contact. Forte’s first bucket tied the game at two and his second bucket gave the Vikings a lead they would not relinquish despite UNC’s best comeback efforts.
“They were coming in with momentum after a big win versus Montana (78-72 last Saturday in Missoula) and they are one of the best transition teams in the league so getting out early is key,” Forte said. “They have three or four guards who can push the ball and get volume shots up so our goal was bury them early, get back in transition and try to stop them.”
UNC guard Anthony Johnson
Northern Colorado struggled to hit easy buckets, missing 14 of its first 15 shots from inside of six feet. Jordan Wilson hit a pair of 3-pointers before halftime and scored eight of his 20 before the break as UNC was able to go into halftime down 36-30 despite Portland State’s hot start. But the PSU lead swelled to 16 less than five minutes into the second half. Northern Colorado made two extended runs to make the game a single-possession contest but the deficit was too great.
“We had a game plan to defend (Forte) but we didn’t execute it to the best of our abilities,” UNC junior guard Anthony Johnson said. “He made some tough shots. We didn’t respond. Second half, we picked it up for a little bit, stuck together and fought but it was too little, too late.”
With Forte demanding constant double teams, Parsons, a 6-foot-7 junior recruited as a guard out of Salt Lake Community College used his slashing ability and athleticism to take advantage. Now playing the four-spot, Parsons used his slithering style to attack the rim aggressively. He converted 5-of-8 shots and 11-of-14 free throws in scoring a career-best 21 points.
“Cameron getting double teamed opened up a lot for me, cutting to the basket, easy layups, fighting on the weak side,” Parsons said.
Wilson and Johnson each scored five points during a 16-4 UNC run that helped cut PSU’s largest lead to a 54-51 advantage. On a missed Forte free throw, Parsons corralled the rebound and put the ball back in.
UNC drew to 58-54 on Wilson’s third 3-pointer but Forte answered with all five of his second-half points on consecutive possessions. Northern Colorado freshman Jordan Davis converted a layup with 1:38 left to cut the Vikings’ lead to 67-64. On the ensuing possession, Donivine Stewart missed a 3-pointer but Parsons secured the offensive rebound and got the ball to Zach Gengler, an 88-percent free throw shooter. He converted two from the stripe and UNC never got closer than five points again.
PSU forward De’Sean Parsons
“My job is to crash the boards,” Parsons said. “That’s my role for the remainder of the season. I’m a good guard rebounder, pretty quick. When Coach put me at the four, I think some of the fours are too slow for me so I can take advantage.”
Wilson led the Bears with 20 points. Johnson added 17, including 14 after halftime. Davis chipped in 13 in his first BSC Tournament game, but the youth of UNC showed through like it has all season. The team has no seniors. Northern Colorado finishes the season 10-21.
“The future is bright,” UNC head coach B.J. Hill said. “We had some key injuries we weren’t planning on but those aren’t excuses. Our guys had to step up. I don’t know if you can force that growth process on young people. Our give our guys credit. They kept fighting.”
The win is Portland State’s fourth straight and fifth in last six games after a mid-season skid that hit bottom with a five-game losing streak. PSU moved to 13-17 on the year and advanced to the Big Sky quarterfinals. Portland State will play top-seeded Weber State at 12:05 p.m. on Thursday.
“You have to play the big boy at some point,” PSU head coach Ty Geving said. “They are a well-coached team, a good team. We have to finish out games better but credit to our kids for being tough and getting it done. Survive and advance.”
Photos by Brooks Nuanez. All Rights Reserved.
