The home cooking seems to be working for Peninsula College’s men’s basketball squad.

The Pirates (3-3) evened their season record with a pair of wins last weekend at their own First Federal Pirate Classic.

P.C. opened with a 61-60 win against Centralia on Dec. 6, with Ryley Callaghan and Deonte Dixon leading the way. Despite combining to shoot nine-for-30 from the field, the P.C. pair scored 14 points each. Malik Mayeux added 12 points, seven rebounds and four steals.

A day later, Peninsula upended the South Puget Sound Clippers 70-59, with Dixon netting 26 points on eight-for-17 shooting. He hit three triples. Mayeux chipped in 14 points, Domach Domach had eight rebounds and Callaghan had five assists.

Peninsula hits the road this week with a pair of games at the Big Bend Classic in Moses Lake on Dec. 12-13. The Pirates play at the Crossover Tournament on Dec. 19-21 in Olympia before hosting Pierce College on Dec. 30, their final tune-up before conference play.

Peninsula opened its season with an 81-54 loss at Highline on , trailing by just seven points at halftime before getting outscored 49-29 in the second half. Callaghan led P.C. with 17 points, Jonah Cook had 11 points and eight rebounds, and Jeremiah Hobbs chipped in 10 points and four assists.

The Pirates followed that up with a 1-2 finish at the Skagit Valley College Tournament Nov. 28-30.

Pirate women knock off champs

That first loss? Swept aside.

Peninsula College’s women improved to 3-1 with a trio of wins last weekend at the Warrior Classic hosted by Walla Walla.

On Dec. 5, P.C. upended the defending NWAC champions from Columbia Basin 96-82, thanks to Neah Bay grad Cierra Moss’ 22 points. Gabi Fenumiai was eight-of-11 from the field and finished with 18 points. Four Pirates finished in double figures, including Zhara Laster (15 points) and Miranda Schmillen (13). Sydney Mercer led the Hawks with 23 points.

A day later, Peninsula topped the hosts from Walla Walla 72-63, getting 21 points from Madison Pilster and 14 from Imani Smith. P.C., who shot just 32 percent from the field, outscored the Warriors 34-22 in the second half and forced 15 turnovers.

In the classic finale on Dec. 7, Peninsula held off the Wenatchee Valley Knights 58-50, building a 13-point lead by halftime and holding on for the non-conference victory. Moss led the squad with 16 points and Schmillen added 11.

Peninsula fell in its season opener, a 66-65 heartbreaker to Wenatchee Valley in Port Angeles on Nov. 22. Smith led the Pirates with 17 points and five steals, Fenumiai had 14 points before fouling out and Laster added a team-high 12 rebounds, but P.C. shot just 25-of-75 (33 percent) from the floor.

The Pirates are back on the hardcourt Dec. 12-14 at the Pierce Tournament in Lakewood. The Pirates host Highline on Dec. 16.