Pendergaft takes on new role

PORTLAND – Just call it the many faces of David Pendergraft.

For two years now, he’s been the abridged version of a power forward for the Gonzaga Bulldogs, a dirty-work grinder inside using a big reservoir of want-to to battle bigger opponents.

And now the 6-foot-6 junior is something else altogether.

A center-by-default at times, thanks to the suspension of Josh Heytvelt a month ago. But in Gonzaga’s 88-70 romp over the San Diego Toreros in the semifinals of the West Coast Conference basketball tournament Sunday night, Pendergraft morphed into the team’s best perimeter threat – scoring a career-high 22 points with a 4-of-6 performance from 3-point range.

USD coach Brad Holland may have been in the only person in the Chiles Center not surprised at least a little bit.

“We know he can shoot the 3,” Holland said, “and it’s been quite obvious ever since Heytvelt left that he’s taken more ownership and helping their team with some points.”

That was never more evident than midway through the second half, when the Toreros – down by as many as 17 points – managed to cut the lead to 12 and seemed poised for more damage. Pendergraft answered with back-to-back 3s on assists from Derek Raivio and Micah Downs to stave off the threat.

But it wasn’t all perimeter points. He had the basket of the night, a pretty left-handed scoop after a couple of hurry-hurry fast break passes by Raivio and Jeremy Pargo, in a 10-0 first half run that broke open the game.

“When you move the ball that quick up the floor, it puts pressure on the defense and good things happen,” Pendergraft said. “You know, it’s hard to play three games in three days like San Diego did and when we started moving up and down the floor, their legs got a little heavy.”

Pendergraft will never regard himself as GU’s first offensive option – but part of the beauty of Gonzaga’s latest run is that the Zags don’t really seem to have one.

“It’s a different style rather than just pounding it into Josh that we were used to playing,” he said. “Teams have to come out on a lot of us and it creates driving lanes for Pargo and Micah and guys like that to get to the rim.

“I suppose (for me) the freedom’s always been there – it was probably a confidence factor and a personal thing. It took me probably longer than it should have to adjust.”