Image provided by: Clackamas Community College; Oregon City, OR
About The Clackamas print. (Oregon City, Oregon) 1989-2019 | View Entire Issue (Jan. 29, 2014)
http://www.theclackamasprint.com Wednesday, January29,2014 Valentine's Pay poll page 5 Clackamas Community College, Oregon City, OR www.TheClackamasPrint.com An independent, student-run newspaper since 1966 Cougars continue march toward playoffs Zak Laster Ad Manager F o llo w in g up one o f their w orst losses at hom e this sea son against C hem eketa, the C lackam as Cougars m en’s bas ketball team m ay finally start to be hitting their stride. They w on three in a row, beating U m pqua C om m unity C o lleg e and M t. H ood C om m unity C ollege on the road before taking dow n L inn-B enton at hom e, 74-60 on Jan. 25. “I feel like w e ’re starting to com e together,’’ said Tim Lott, sophom ore w ing. '“W e’re a young team , w e ju s t have to persevere through the losses and learn from our m istakes.” P laying L inn-B en to n the coaches hoped to turn the game into a slow tem po, grinder-style gam e and for the m ost p art it w as. L inn-B enton w as held to 23 points in the first half. W ith L inn-B enton struggling to score against the zone tow ards the end o f the first half, the Cougars cam e out in the second h a lf running the sam e defense. L inn-B enton w as unable to score for the first five m in utes o f the second half, and the C ougars w ere able to put together a 17-2 scoring run to give them selves a com fortable lead for m ost o f the second half. Still though, the coaches felt there w as room for im prove m ent. “N ineteen .turnovers, th a t’s a pretty ugly stat there, but we did have 21 assists so w e’re trying to do the right thing, sharing the ball,” said Coach C lif Wegner. “A lot o f tim es it w as the right idea. It w as ju s t a terrible pass.” In the second half, w hen L inn-B enton m ade a push to cut the lead, the C ougars w ere able to use a series o f hustle plays, led by G rant Sitton and Lott. Sitton finished the game w ith 21 points and six rebounds, m aking nine o f his 13 shots, including three big three-point shots to help extend th eir lead back to a com fortable margin. “It felt good to h it shots,” said Sitton. “I like the hom e gam es b etter than th e aw ay games. I know the hoops b et ter,” H elping Sitton on one o f his three-point shots w as Lott. On a loose ball rolling dow n the baseline, L ott w as able to come from the opposite free throw line and chase the ball down before it rolled out o f bounds, flipped it over to Sitton, who w as anxiously w aiting to knock down his third three pointer o f the second half. “T hat w as a g reat h u stle play,” W egner said. T his C ougar team had their share o f struggles earlier in the season but there are signs that this team has begun to gel. “We have a lo t o f fresh m an, and freshm an got to m ake m istakes to learn and becom e sophom ores, the little things tak e tim e,” L ott said after the gam e.“ W e’re learning from our losses.” W ith their three-gam e w in ning streak the C ougars are in a g o o d ,sp o t as their m arch tow ards the playoffs continues. The Cougars currently sit two gam es out o f first place w ith seven gam es rem aining. “W e’re pretty confident now, w e feel like w e can w in every gam e,” W egner said. “We ju s t have to focus one game at a tim e.” The next opportunity to see the Cougars play at hom e is Feb. 5 at R andall H all against Portland C om m unity College. I f eel like we’re starting to come together. We ’re a young team, we just have to perse vere through the losses and learn from our mis takes. ” - C a m p u s blood drive wants your veins Patty Salazar Editor-In-Chief N o , vampires are not attacking campus, but there are people want ing your precious blood lurking behind the walls of Gregory Forum. The American Red Cross and Clackamas Community College Associated Student Government are working together this week to host the quarterly blood drive, and they’re encouraging all students, instructors, staffers and community members to participate. For every person who donates blood, three people are helped. If you are one o f the many peo ple who cannot stand the thought o f needles, jest assured that there is someone who is willing to sit with you and calm your nerves. He goes by Dean Wright, an officer of ASG’s public affairs divi sion. “I am not going to sugar coat it,” Wright said. “It hurts in the begin ning. I will personally stand by you and talk to you and be best friends.” . Ali Miller, a CCC nursing stu dent, has always wanted to donate blood, she said. But she has never been able to meet the weight requirement o f 110 pounds for women. “There are so many medical instances where people would need blood transfusions,” Miller said. “It is a matter o f life and death.” The blood drive will take place in the Gregory Forum from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on Wednesday and Thursday. Although the ASG office is taking appointments for those wanting to donate, walk-ins are welcomed too. ASG will be offering students snacks while donors rest. The Red Cross will also be offering free T-shirts to all who donate. The commitment is small and the pay off is enormous: potentially saving three lives. Daphne Mattew, director o f communication for the Red Cross, said blood supplies will go to local hospitals first than to where ever the demand is needed. “Almost always people tell me,” said Mattew. “If I would have known it was that easy I would have started a long time ago.”
