LSU’s exhibition tour in Paradise Island, Bahamas, came to an end on Thursday with a 118-79 win over Obras Sanitarias, an Argentinian club team. The Tigers previously beat club teams from Puerto Rico and the Bahamas on Monday and Tuesday, respectively.
The Tigers controlled the final game from the tip, jumping out to a 14-2 lead and taking a 62-39 advantage into the second half.
“I loved our start today in the first quarter; I thought everyone came out with great energy,” coach [autotag]Matt McMahon[/autotag] said in a release. “We were able to create some turnovers on the defensive end of the floor that got us out in transition, and I thought everyone played with great unselfishness and got a lot of good looks. We didn’t shoot the ball exceptionally well from three but really did a good job attacking the rim and getting some good baskets. I thought Jordan Wright in the first half was just terrific on the offensive end of the floor, enabling us to build a big lead.
“As for the trip, this has been just terrific for our team. The time we’ve gotten to spend together, the ten practices before we left, the time outside of basketball this week in the Bahamas has been really good. As we try to take these six returning players and nine newcomers and start to build the chemistry of our team, the commitment to winning, and the understanding of what each player is about. I think it’s so important that you have trust in the locker room and you usually see that carry over to the court. This has been really beneficial for us.”
Vanderbilt transfer [autotag]Jordan Wright[/autotag] led the way with a huge game offensively, scoring 27 points. Nevada center transfer [autotag]Will Baker[/autotag] scored 19 points, while [autotag]Mwani Wilkinson[/autotag], [autotag]Corey Chest[/autotag] and [autotag]Daimion Collins[/autotag] all had 12.
“Well, I think the guys play the right way on the offensive end of the floor,” McMahon said. “We weren’t running a lot of plays, we were just trying to play out of concepts and be very unselfish. Guys stepped up and knocked down not only the threes Jordan (Wright) made, but the post-up opportunities for Will Baker, and you saw his efficiency in there. I thought Corey Chest gave us great energy, chasing rebounds, and finishing plays around the basket. Everyone we played was able to contribute, not just today but throughout the trip. It’s been a really good learning experience for us.”
Tyrell Ward also capped off his third-straight double-figure scoring game with 11 points.
Coming off a disappointing first season in Baton Rouge, McMahon has a largely new group of players for Year 2. He’ll hope the opportunity to get some early game action with this team will ultimately pay dividends.
“Yeah, really excited about our team, love our group,” he said. “Obviously, we need to get healthy. We had four guys who were unable to play on the trip and look forward to getting them back when we start the Fall semester of classes. I love the talent and athleticism. We have great character in our locker room and those things give you a foundation to build a team that can win. Can’t wait to get back to Baton Rouge and get started this Fall.”
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