Pineiro WCC Player of The Week
Pineiro scored a career-high 29 points in the game against LMU.
Pineiro averaged 20 points in his big week against Santa Clara and LMU
In the midst of a 1-4 slide in West Coast Conference (WCC) play, the the University of San Diego men’s basketball team was able to rattle off two much-needed wins against both Santa Clara University and Loyola Marymount University.
Central to both these victories was redshirt junior forward Isaiah Pineiro. Pineiro, who was named WCC Player of the Week for those stretch of games, averaged 20 points, six rebounds, five assists, and one block. Pineiro placed an emphasis on what the Toreros accomplished as a team.
“It was a big week for us,” Pineiro said. “We needed those wins badly. My teammates had confidence in me and my coaches had confidence in me, so I think just as a team we were playing confident and shots were falling for me and my teammates.”
Confidence, indeed. In the game against Loyola Marymount University, Pineiro recorded a career-high 29 points as he led USD to an 89-82 victory. This performance, as well as the overall body of work that Pineiro has developed this season, speaks well to Pineiro’s role on the team. As one of the older, more experienced players on a young team, Pineiro spoke about his role as a leader.
“I’ve been in college a few years and I’m one of the oldest guys on the team,” Pineiro said. “I’m just trying to share what I have, as well as learning from other guys. Everyone on this team brings something different to the table, and we’re all leaders in our own ways.”
With a 6-5 WCC record, the Toreros have some work to do to within conference. Their 15-8 overall record, certainly places them within striking distance for a run at the postseason. With regard to the rest of the season, Pineiro placed an emphasis once again on confidence, as well as on a sense of trust in the work that the Toreros have put in up to this point.
“We have to be confident,” Pineiro said. “We put in so much work in the summer and spring and the fall before (the) season that we have to be confident in everything we do, every shot we take. We have to be confident in our coaches, our game plan, and each other, most importantly. When we play confidently, we play better. Last week we made strides in the right direction, and that’s how we’re trying to play.”
The Toreros return to conference play at home Thursday, Feb. 15 at 7 p.m. against the University of the Pacific at the Jenny Craig Pavilion.