The Air Force Falcons had a huge victory over the Portland Pilots on Saturday, winning 80-58. The Falcons were led by senior forward Ryan Petraitis, who scored a game-high 24 points and grabbed 10 rebounds. The Falcons jumped out to an early lead and never looked back, leading by as many as 24 points in the second half.
Petraitis was the star of the night, shooting 8-of-14 from the field and 8-of-10 from the free throw line. He also added four assists and two steals to his impressive stat line. His performance was instrumental in the Falcons’ victory, as he was able to create open shots for his teammates and make plays on both ends of the court.
The rest of the Falcons also played well, with four other players scoring in double figures. Senior guard Trevor Lyons had 17 points, while senior forward Lavelle Scottie added 15 points and seven rebounds. Junior guard Sid Tomes chipped in with 11 points and five assists, and freshman guard Caleb Morris had 10 points and five rebounds.
The Falcons shot an impressive 56 percent from the field and 44 percent from beyond the arc. They also held the Pilots to just 36 percent shooting from the field and 25 percent from three-point range. The Falcons also outrebounded the Pilots 39-27.
The win was a huge boost for the Falcons, who now have a record of 17-7 overall and 9-3 in conference play. With Petraitis leading the way, the Falcons look poised to make a deep run in the conference tournament. If they can continue to play at this level, they could be a dangerous team come tournament time.
