PCC/Blazers double-header Saturday, December 08, 2007

The PCC Panthers get their first look at the Rose Garden from the floor as they wait to take the court Dec. 6 for their game against Lower Columbia CC. The game was played at the Rose Garden as part of a double-header. It was followed by the Trail Blazers vs. Miami Heat.

(right) Alex King shoots from inside for Lower Columbia. King scored 11 for the Devils.

(left) Tyler Mendezona lays one up in the first quarter. Mendezona was the second-leading scorer for the Panthers with 15. Shawn West had 18.

Thursday, the Portland Community College Panthers had a special game against the Lower Columbia CC Devils from Longview, Wash. Though it was a home game for Lower Columbia, it was played at the Rose Garden in Portland. It was billed as a double-header with the Trail Blazers, who squared off against Miami Thursday evening.

PCC played hard, but ended up on the wrong end of a 76-60 final (box score). That dropped their record to 0-6 for the year. Lower Columbia improved to 1-3.

The second half of the double-header (Portland vs. Miami) was better-attended by a ratio of about 1000 to 1. That doesn't include the national television audience on TNT. And the Blazers put on one of their best shows of the season en route to a 112-106 win over the Heat.

(right) Channing Frye gets fouled by Daequon Cook in the paint. Frye made both free throws on the play, and scored 6 overall for the Blazers.

I had never seen a Blazers game before (the only other NBA game I'd ever seen was San Antonio at Vancouver, back in 1996), so I took advantage of the free ticket. I was sitting pretty much on the center line, but way, way, way up ... second-last row, in fact. I couldn't see directly across the arena because the retired number banners were in the way. We were above the scoreboard. Still, I had fun. It's an interesting perspective from up there.

Tinsel flies as time runs out in the Blazers' 112-106 win over Miami.