First-year men’s basketball coach leads team to record season, NWAC Final Four
Story by Hailey Hensley, PCC Student. Photos by PCC Athletics.
Cameron Mitchell coaching during a timeout.
Cameron Mitchell, first-year coach at Portland Community College, has guided the 2023-2024 men’s basketball team through a remarkable season – setting a new record for the most wins in a season for region play, claiming the NWAC South Region Title for the third time in PCC history, and leading the Panthers to the playoffs.
The PCC’s men’s basketball team is celebrating their latest accomplishments, including setting a new record for the most wins in a season for their region. The record, which was set at 13 wins, was broken once the Panthers won their latest game against Linn Benton Community College on Feb. 17 – bringing their total wins to 14 for this season.
Panthers Headed to NWAC Final Four!
Congratulations to PCC Men’s Basketball team for clinching first place in the Southern Region! With an impressive 25-4 record and a 12-game winning streak, they’re dominating the court. After securing the region title, they triumphed at the NWAC Tournament, advancing to the Final Four.
Next up: a showdown against Green River Community College at noon, March 16, at Columbia Basin’s new athletic facility. Panther fans, let’s pack the stands and show our support! Or, if you can’t make it, watch the livestream of the games for a fee of $14 at NWAC Sports Network.
Mitchell joined the PCC Panthers as an assistant coach for the 2022-2023 season, bringing along nearly a decade of experience in coaching at high school, junior college, and NCAA levels. In June of 2023, Tony Broadous, head coach of the men’s basketball team, moved into the director of athletics position for PCC, while Mitchell was named interim head coach for the 2023-2024 season.
“I played for Tony Broadous in high school; he was my coach, and now he’s my boss,” Mitchell said, giving Broadous credit for setting a strong example for the PCC Basketball program after his 11 years as head coach. “He made a huge impact on me as a player, so much so that several years later, I ended up being his assistant coach here at PCC through our continued relationship.”
He also addd that Broadous helped to pave the path for Mitchell and the men’s basketball team in reaching their third Region Championship title.
Coach Mitchell is passionate about being a positive role model for the young men he coaches – helping them grow as players, as well as students and individuals. He attributes his team’s successes throughout this season to their hard work and dedication on and off the basketball court.
“We made goals as a team at the beginning of the season, and we have nailed each one of them, which is a testament to our guys’ determination,” Mitchell said. “GPAs have been rising, and many of our students are seeing interest from four-year universities nationwide. That’s the ultimate goal.”
Mitchell’s system for coaching is structured but allows players to utilize their personal skill set and basketball IQ to make the best choices for each play. This allows players to be themselves on the court and effectively come together as a team.
“I trust my players, and they trust each other,” he said of how he maintains morale. “I think that makes for a really strong team.”
For more information about PCC Athletics, visit the Athletics webpage.