SANTA MARIA – Sophomore Cameron Walker poured in a game-high 23 points for Porterville College in its 73-68 victory at Allan Hancock College on Wednesday in both teams' 2022-23 season-opener.
The Pirates, ranked No. 13 in the North preseason poll, knocked off No. 10 South-ranked Allan Hancock to open the season for the second straight year. In the 2021-22 opener, new head coach Amaurys Fermin and his unranked Pirates squad upset the 10th-ranked Bulldogs 78-76 in Porterville.
Now in his second season, Fermin and his Pirates are no longer unknowns and will look to improve on last season's 20-8 overall record and second-place finish in the Central Valley Conference.
On Wednesday, Porterville got off a 9-3 lead to open the contest and midway through the first half held a 12-point advantage (24-12) with nine minutes to go. The Bulldogs eventually closed the gap, but the Pirates used a 14-5 run late to take a 40-32 lead at halftime.
The two squads battled in the second half with PC leading for the majority of the period. But with 6:09 left in regulation, Allan Hancock took a 60-58 lead after a pair of free throws by Taveon Pierre-Louis.
With Porterville trailing 63-61, Jaylen Foy's put-back after a miss tied up the contest at the 4:29 mark. Two possessions later, Walker nailed a 3-pointer, the last of five he made on the night, to put the Pirates out in front for good at 66-63 with four minutes to play.
The Bulldogs got within two points late (70-68) with 2:35 left but would get no closer.
Freshman Jaden Pena nearly had a double-double with 13 points and 9 rebounds. Walker added a team-high 7 rebounds and 4 assists while Foy, Elijah Sterling, and Jake Abrams all scored 6 points each.
Porterville (1-0) will get an even bigger test in its next contest. The Pirates travel to South No. 1-ranked Fullerton College for 5 p.m. game on Tuesday (Nov. 8).