KENNEWICK — Even though his team suffered through a miserable 3-21 campaign a year ago, Peninsula College men’s basketball coach Peter Stewart knew it had the talent to win.
What his young squad was missing, Stewart figured, was a cocksure mentality.
“We had to learn how to win,” he said, “and we hadn’t learned how to yet.”
Fast forward to Saturday, when an older, and one would assume wiser, Pirates squad dismantled Walla Walla 75-53 in the NWAACC Tournament quarterfinals at Tri-Cities Coliseum.
It’s safe to say Peninsula (22-6) figured out how to win.
The West Division champion Pirates take on Lower Columbia today at 6 p.m. in a semifinal contest.
Mount Hood and Tacoma will play at 4 p.m. in the other semifinal.