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Portland Pilots (12-14, 5-8 WCC) at San Diego Toreros (10-16, 4-9 WCC)

Date: Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2026
Time: 6:30 p.m.
Place: San Diego, Calif.
Arena: Jenny Craig Pavilion
TV: ESPN+
Live Coverage Links: Video | Stats

THIS WEEK

• The Pilots will look to extend their win streak with a single road game on the docket this week..

• Portland visits the San Diego Toreros on Wednesday with a 6:30 p.m. tip-off at Jenny Craig Pavilion. It is the first of two meetings this month between the two teams.

GAME COVERAGE

• All WCC games will be aired live on ESPN+ and Wednesday’s game has Jack Cronin and Braden Surprenant on the call.

• Pilot radio this season includes all men’s and women’s basketball home games, as well as select road games, streamed live on PortlandPilots.com with Jason Swygard calling the action. Wednesday’s game will not be aired.

• Live coverage links for Portland games can be found at PortlandPilots.com.

LAST TIME OUT: Pilots 54, Seattle U 53 (Feb. 7, 2026— Portland, Ore.)

• Dante Censori-Hercules converted a putback with 1.9 seconds left to give Portland a 54-53 win. The Pilots trailed by as much as 12 in the first period and eight at the half before storming back in the second to pull out the thriller.

• Portland’s frontline of James O’Donnell, Jermaine Ballisager Webb and Cameron Williams combined for 35 points – 24 in the second half – as the Pilots dominated the Redhawks on the interior and finished with a 34-18 edge in paint points.

• O’Donnell took over midway through the second half and scored seven straight points, capped by a transition alley oop, to give the Pilots a 41-38 lead. There would be three ties and four lead changes down the stretch as neither team could muster more than a four-point lead.

• The Redhawks scored five straight for a 53-49 edge with 59 seconds left, but Joel Foxwell buried a clutch three-pointer and after a defensive stop, Censori-Hercules comverted the putback to win the game.

A WIN FOR THE AGES

• Portland’s upset of No. 6 Gonzaga was the highest ranked win in program history (AP Poll), the first against a Top 10 team since 1968 and first win against a ranked opponent dating back to January 9, 2014 when the Pilots defeated No. 22 Gonzaga 82-73 in Portland. It snapped a 24-game losing streak to ranked opponents and 20-game losing streak to the Bulldogs.

• Portland defeated No. 8-ranked Oklahoma City (74-63) for the program’s only other Top 10 win at the Division I level. The Pilots are 2-33 all-time against Top 10 teams and 0-10 against teams ranked No. 1.

FRESHMAN PHENOMS

• Freshman PG Joel Foxwell garnered WCC Player of the Week and was one of five players in the nation named an Oscar Robertson Player of the Week by the USBWA after leading the Pilots to a pair of wins last week. He also took him his league-leading sixth WCC Freshman of the Week honor.

• In the win over Gonzaga, Foxwell dominated with 27 points, four rebounds and eight assists. He was 11-of-18 from the field and collected a steal. He followed with five points, eight rebounds, nine assists and two steals against Seattle U, incuding a clutch three-pointer in the final minute to set up the thrilling game-winner.

• Foxwell is leading the team in scoring (15.3) and assists (6.9). He is No. 3 nationally in total assists (179), No. 11 in assists per game – No. 1 among freshmen –  and one of two players nationally averaging at least 15.0 points, 4.0 rebounds and 6.9 assists (Quinn Denker, Northern Colorado).

• Foxwell, Jeremiah Fears (Michigan St.) and Josiah Davis (CSUN) are the only players with multiple games of 15 or more assists, while he is one of six players with a 20-point, 15-assist game (vs. Santa Clara). Foxwell has set the UP freshman record for assists and is on pace to beat Austin Rapp’s freshman scoring record (428).

• His 15 assists versus Santa Clara on Dec. 30 matched a career high as well as the program record for assists in a game set by Tyler Robertson in a Dec. 10, 2022 home win against New Orleans. He matched his high with 27 points against Saint Mary’s on Jan. 24 and Gonzaga on Feb. 4. He has nine 20-point games, four double-doubles and has dished out 10 or more assists six times.

• Freshman F Timo George had been a consistent force for the Pilots as the team’s No. 2 scorer (12.5), which is third among league freshmen, while his 4.9 rebounds per game are also second among WCC freshmen. He reached double figures in 11 of 15 games despite playing just 19.9 minutes per game.

• George was two field goals made shy of NCAA qualification in FG percentage. His 69.5 percent from the field would rank No. 3 nationally and lead the WCC. He was 7-for-7 from the field with 14 points and four rebounds at halftime vs. Santa Clara on Dec. 30 before suffering a shoulder injury and has not played since.

• Dante Censori-Hercules has been effective as a defensive stopper and rebounder. He has started the last five games and scored the last second game-winner vs. Seattle U.

WILLIAMS DOING WORK

• Cameron Williams recorded his first double-double of the year with 14 points and 12 rebounds at Pepperdine on Jan. 14. He previously logged his fifth 20-point game of the season with his 23-point performance against Oregon State and has reached double figures 14 times.

• Williams is shooting 52.0 percent from the field and 78.3 percent at the foul line. His 11.8 points are third on the roster and he is grabbing a team-high 5.2 rebounds.

• Williams, a first team JC All-American and national champ with Trinity Valley JC last season, has adjusted well to the Division I level.

BALLISAGER WEBB PROVIDING BOOST

• Senior C Jermaine Ballisager Webb is averaging 7.8 points and 4.0 rebounds and has started the last nine games. He had a career high 18 points versus Oregon State, erupted for 13 points, nine rebounds and five assists in the upset of Gonzaga and followed with 12 points and six boards against Seattle U.

INJURY AND ILLNESS IMPACT

• Portland has dealt with numerous injuries and illness. Riley Parker (foot) and Timo George (shoulder) are out for the season, while Carlin Briggs (knee) is still returning from offseason surgery.

• UP was down to eight scholarship players in the last couple weeks and activated grad assistant Sam Noland, who previously played at Pacific Lutheran before joining the staff. He has played in all five games since. Matus Hronsky (ill) returned to the lineup last week, but Mikah Ballew was unavailable on Saturday.

• Head coach Shantay Legans was added to the injury list with a torn Achilles suffered on Jan. 26 when he was filling in at practice for the shorthanded squad.

LEGANS’ LATE SEASON SUCCESS

• Shantay Legans’ teams have consistently performed well late in the season throughout his head coaching career. His overall record February 1 or later during his nine seasons is 63-33 (.656), including 2-0 this year.

NATIONAL TEAM DUTY

• Four different players have been regular representatives on their home country’s national teams either at the youth or senior level.

• Jermaine Ballisager Webb (Denmark) played on youth national teams from U15 on and represented the Senior National Team this Summer at the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2027 European Pre-Qualifiers. He averaged 10.8 points and 4.8 rebounds over four games as Denmark secured a qualifying spot.

• Timo George (Netherlands) helped the Netherlands U20 National Team to a fourth-place finish at the 2024 FIBA EuroBasket where he averaged 12.3 points and 7.3 rebounds per game. He also represented the Netherlands at the U18 European Championships in 2023.

• Matúš Hronský (Slovakia) represented Slovakia at the 2021 U20 European Championships where he averaged 15.8 points in five games. Hronský also played for Slovakia’s Senior National Team at the 2021 World Cup where he scored eight points in four games.

• Dante Censori-Hercules (Canada) also trained this Summer with the U-19 National Team.

INTERNATIONAL FLAVOR

• Portland’s current roster features players from seven different countries including nine international student-athletes.

• The Australian pipeline continues to flow with four Pilots hailing from Down Under: Riley Parker, James O’Donnell, Carlin Briggs and Joel Foxwell.

• Throughout his five-year tenure with the Pilots, Legans has had nine different Aussies on the roster and 21 total international players from 12 different countries.

BUILDING A WINNING ROSTER

• The Portland coaching staff focused on building the 2025-26 roster with experienced players from winning programs and Portland’s five transfers fit the bill.

• Junior transfers Garrett Nuckolls and Cameron Williams were the top two scorers for Trinity Valley JC, which won the JUCO Division I national title last year.

• Riley Parker was a starter and team captain for St. Francis, which won the Northeast Conference Tournament to reach the 2025 NCAA Tournament.

• Senior F Matúš Hronský spent three years with Duquesne and played in two NCAA Tournament games in 2024, while sophomore C James O’Donnell was a key contributor for San Francisco, who won 25 games and played in the NIT.

• Additionally, Portland’s three true freshmen all played for high level clubs or have national team experience: Timo George prepped at IMG Academy in Florida, Joel Foxwell played with pros in the Australian NBL and NBL1, while Dante Censori-Hercules competed at Hodan Prep, which has multiple alums playing in the NBA.

ABOUT THE RETURNERS

• Portland returns six players from last year’s roster, three of which redshirted.

• Mikah Ballew averaged 4.9 points as a freshman in 31 games. Jermaine Ballisager Webb started eight games, appeared in 29 and averaged 4.3 points and 1.8 rebounds while shooting 64 percent from the field. RS-sophomore G Kelson Gebbers played 19 games and averaged 1.7 points and 1.1 rebounds.

• Carlin Briggs, NaVaughn Long and Preston Lee each utilized their redshirt season. Briggs is returning from a knee injury and working his way back into playing shape. Long made his debut against Willamette and recorded two rebounds with a pair of assists. Lee also debuted against the Bearcats and scored five points with a steal.

STAFF UPDATE

• Portland added two new assistant coaches to staff this offseason in Mark Berokoff and Anthony Separovich, while Decclan Mclean was promoted to an assistant coach after serving two years as a graduate assistant.

• Berokoff brings vast experience to the bench with more than 400 career wins along with multiple state and national championships as a head coach. Berokoff most recently served four seasons as head coach at NAIA Oklahoma City University.  He led Randall University to three national titles and five national semifinals appearances in nine years (2012-21) at the National Christian College Athletic Association Division II level while serving as both head coach and athletic director.

• Separovich and Mclean are Australians that have helped solidified a strong pipeline for the Pilots Down Under. Separovich served as the AUSA Hoops Program and Recruiting Director from 2022-25. He was instrumental in recruiting, mentoring and guiding boys and girls players from Australia to earn college scholarships in the U.S. More than 500 student-athletes represented AUSA in AAU Tournaments across the U.S. in 2025. He helped place more than 100 student-athletes at U.S. colleges over the past three years, including a record 50 in 2024.

ABOUT SAN DIEGO (10-16, 4-9 WCC)

• USD has lost three straight after road losses at Saint Mary’s and LMU last week. The Toreros have notable wins against Washington State, Pacific and UC San Diego.

• Ty-Laur Johnson leads USD in scoring (14.6), while former Pilot Juanse Gorosito adds 9.9 per game.

• USD leads the all-time series 63-37 and 32-13 in San Diego. The Toreros defeated the Pilots 82-80 at Jenny Craig Pavilion on March 1, 2025 in the last meeting.

WE’RE RIVERBOAT PILOTS, NOT AIRPLANE PILOTS!

• Though a 1935 student contest resulted in the nickname “Chinooks” (after the Native American tribe that inhabited the area, and the largest of the salmon species in the Willamette River), the “Pilots” was chosen by presidential fiat. From that day forward, The Bluff had a new mascot, and he was Wally Pilot.

• When the University changed its name from Columbia University (its earliest sports teams were known as the Cliff dwellers or the Columbias), to the University of Portland in 1935, the name and University had already begun to adapt a more “nautical motif,” suitable for a campus site overlooking the Willamette River. At the same time, the Pilot athletic teams became associated with Wally (a stylized riverboat pilot), and the pilot’s wheel became the logical logo.

 

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