Five games into the season, after two wins and three losses, Vancouver Volcanoes coach Bryan Hunter likes what he has seen from his team.
“We will have two scorers,” said Hunter, who also is a co-owner of the International Basketball League franchise. “I think that component combined with guys who love to rebound will be a factor for us going forward and competing for a championship.”
That kind of balance will be on display for local fans tonight for the first time. After opening the season with five road games, the Volcanoes make their home debut at Clark College against the Yamhill HighFlyers, who play their home games in McMinnville, Ore.
Well, most of it will be on display. Porter Troupe, who is expected to be one of the Volcanoes’ leading scorers, will join the club next week after finishing a stint with a professional team in Romania.
Such is life in the IBL, a semi-pro league in which teams cobble together rosters of former college players — many of whom spend part of the year playing overseas.
The far-flung league includes 16 teams ranging from British Columbia to New York to Los Angeles. Vancouver’s division includes the likes of the Olympia Reign and the Central Oregon Hotshots.
This is the Volcanoes’ sixth season of existence, and several familiar names have returned. Bryson McKenzie, Alex Hartman, Kevin Bloodsaw, and Brad Lechtenberg are key returnees from last season’s 15-8 squad. Gary Muzzy played in Vancouver two seasons ago.
Through five games, however, many of the highlights have been provided by guard Andre Murray. The former Portland State standout is averaging 29.2 points with a high of 40, and is shooting 65 percent from the field.
But that’s not what has Hunter excited about his team. For him, the high point thus far came in last week’s victories over the league’s USA All-Stars, by scores of 129-73 and 145-79.
“If you look at the scores, we held the USA All-Stars to their lowest point totals,” Hunter said. “I know they’re a developmental team, but we held them to 79 and 73 points. That’s what I’ve been stressing in practice — defense, defense, defense.”
It helps to have McKenzie and others dominating the backboards. A 6-foot-11 center, McKenzie led the IBL in rebounding last year with an average of 14.6 per game.
Yet while the team on the court will look familiar, there have been some changes off the court.
“We’ve done a ton of promotions this year,” Hunter said. “The Volcanoes name is getting out there in the community much more than they have in the past. We’re in expansion mode as far as improving our product and our outreach in the community.”
Among the changes: The club is hoping to have all home games shown by tape-delay on Fort Vancouver Community Television.
“We’ll continue to put a good product on the court,” Hunter said. “I think the biggest differences will be off the court and expanding our product.”
Tonight’s game
What: Yamhill HighFlyers at Vancouver Volcanoes in an International Basketball League game. This is the Volcanoes’ sixth year as a member of the semi-pro league. The HighFlyers are based out of McMinnville, Ore.
When, where: 7 p.m. tonight at Clark College.
Admission: $5 for adults, free for students and seniors. This is a change from last year, when all admissions were free.
