Portland Pilots Scouting Report: A Program Finding Its Edge Under Shantay Leggins
For much of the past decade, Portland has been a team Santa Clara fans circled as a “take care of business” game. Under Shantay Leggins, that assumption is getting riskier by the month.
Leggins hasn’t magically transformed the Pilots into a finished product, but he has given them an identity, and that alone makes them more dangerous than their record suggests. Portland is tougher, more physical, more disruptive, and far more confident than past iterations. Fall asleep at the wheel, and this is the kind of team that can steal 10–15 minutes of a game and put real pressure on you.
Identity: Defense, Physicality, and Controlled Chaos
Portland’s calling card right now is defensive effort and effort plays. The Pilots are not an offensive juggernaut, but they consistently:
• **Guard the ball**
• **Force turnovers** (13 vs WSU, 15 vs Oregon)
• **Crash the offensive glass** (20–6 second-chance edge vs WSU)
• **Win the paint battle**, even against more talented teams
Against Washington State, Portland held the Cougars to 37.7% shooting and still nearly pulled the upset despite shooting just 30.8% overall. That tells you everything about how this team is built: they’re comfortable winning ugly, and they’re comfortable dragging you into it with them.
This is not a free-flowing offense. It’s deliberate, physical, and opportunistic—designed to capitalize when opponents lose discipline.
Offensive Reality: Streaky, But Not Toothless
The Pilots’ biggest limitation is still shot-making, particularly from three. They’ve shown the full spectrum:
• **0-for-11 from three** in the first half vs WSU
• **8-for-20 from three** in the second half of that same game
• **4-for-17 from three** vs UCSB
• **5 made threes total** vs Oregon
When Portland shoots it well, they can absolutely hang. When they don’t, they rely on offensive rebounds, turnovers, and transition chances to stay afloat.
The danger is that they can flip the switch quickly. Washington State learned that when Portland ripped off a 22–5 run coming out of halftime. Oregon felt it when Joel Foxwell controlled tempo early in Eugene.
Key Contributors to Know
Joel Foxwell (Fr., G) – The Engine
Foxwell is the piece everything revolves around. He leads the WCC in assists, can score at all three levels, and plays with poise beyond his years.
• 21 points, 8 assists vs Oregon
• 15 points, 6 assists vs WSU
• Confident shot-maker late in games
If Foxwell is dictating tempo, Portland feels dangerous.
Mikah Ballew (G) – The Microwave
Ballew is streaky, but when he gets hot, Portland becomes a different team. His late-game flurry against WSU (10 straight points) nearly stole the game.
He’s not always efficient—but you can’t lose him.
Frontcourt by Committee – Effort Over Flash
Cameron Williams, Jermaine Ballisager Webb, Timo George, and Matus Hronsky don’t overwhelm you with size or scoring, but they:
• Rebound
• Defend
• Run the floor
• Make life uncomfortable
George’s efficiency (top-10 nationally in FG%) is worth noting, he doesn’t force much, but he punishes mistakes.
How Santa Clara Beats Portland
This is not about talent. It’s about discipline.
1\. **Value the Ball**
Portland thrives on turnovers. Live-ball giveaways fuel their runs and keep their offense afloat.
2\. **Finish Defensive Possessions**
If SCU gives up offensive rebounds, Portland will hang around far longer than they should.
3\. **Make Them Shoot Over Length**
The Pilots struggle when forced into contested jumpers. Stay down, wall off the paint, and make them prove it from deep.
4\. **Push the Pace Selectively**
Portland wants a grind. Santa Clara should pick spots to speed the game up without getting careless.
Final Word
Portland is no longer a “sleepwalk” opponent. Under Shantay Leggins, they’ve become a team that plays hard, plays connected, and believes—which is often enough to punish complacency.
Santa Clara still has more firepower. But if the Broncos don’t match Portland’s physicality and attention to detail, this is exactly the kind of game that tightens late and becomes uncomfortable.
Respect the opponent. Handle the ball. Finish possessions.
Do that, and Santa Clara should take care of business.
Ignore those details, and Portland will happily make it interesting.
