Scoring Big for Westmont Basketball

The Warriors’ Adrian McIntyre Ranks as One of the Most Lethal Scorers in the Country

Westmont men’s basketball’s senior guard Adrian McIntyre | Photo: Gary Kim

One of the positive aspects of sports is that they provide the closest approximation to true meritocracy that society has to offer.

On the playing field, hard work generally pays off.

For Westmont men’s basketball senior guard Adrian McIntyre, a summer of dedication to his craft has elevated him from being a good player to one of the most lethal scorers in the country. On Saturday, February 8, he broke the Westmont all-time single game record for scoring with 51 points against 19th-ranked Point Loma.

The record previously belonged to Tine Hardeman, who scored 46 points against Chapman in the 1954-55 season. With the 99-89 overtime victory, Westmont is now tied for fifth in the PacWest Standings. The top six teams make the conference tournament.

“I kept it simple. Every day, it was pretty much the same thing. I went to work, I went to lift, and I went to the gym. Rinse and repeat, every day,” McIntyre said. “I didn’t do too much outside of that.”

Adrian McIntyre averaged 13.6 points per game last season, which was the second highest on the team behind his older brother, Anthony McIntyre, who averaged 17.9 points per game in his final season at Westmont.

This season, Adrian McIntyre is averaging 27 points per game — the highest scoring average in all of NCAA Division 2. He has doubled his scoring average from last season, without compromising the team aspect of the game.

“Basketball is a team sport. It takes five. We have a good group of guys,” McIntyre said. “I don’t think our record shows how good we really are. I love playing with these guys.”

This past spring, McIntyre found out he was going to be a father, and setting a foundation for his family was one of the main reasons that he stayed in Santa Barbara this summer rather than going home.

“I’ve learned a lot, not only as a basketball player, but as a person, as a son, as a brother, and as a dad,” McIntyre said. “I think God does everything for a reason, and he has put me in every single situation that I was supposed to be in. So, I give all of the honor and all of the praise to him for allowing me to play the game for this long.”

His maturity level has paid dividends individually and for the Westmont men’s basketball program.

“I think that he grew up a lot in the last 365 days. I think that him growing up and maturing has contributed to his success,” said Westmont men’s basketball coach Landon Boucher. “He is like a different person. Anyone who is in the Westmont program and has been around the last two years will tell you the same thing.”

Westmont’s Adrian McIntyre in action | Photo: Gary Kim

In an 89-82 loss to Biola on January 29, McIntyre exploded for the eleventh 40-point game in Westmont men’s basketball history. The performance was highlighted by his incredible efficiency as he shot 15-22 from the field on his way to an even 40 points.

“The first thing he would tell you is that he is bummed that we lost that game,” Boucher said. “Any good player would tell you if you go into games with a selfish agenda of scoring as much as you can, you usually don’t end up scoring as much as you wanted to. But if you go into games just desperate to win, that’s when the best individual performances are born.

“It was an unbelievable performance by him just desperately trying to get us the win — and he has done that many times.”

Having the McIntyre brothers has been a godsend for the Westmont men’s basketball program as they have made the transition from NAIA to NCAA Division 2 over the last few years. Boucher recalled a fateful scrimmage against Ventura College late in 2021 where he first encountered them.

“Right away, I saw the two brothers, Adrian was a freshman, and his brother was a sophomore. I was in the Ventura College gym the very next week, recruiting both of them,” Boucher said. “I knew, offensively, it was going to carry over to this level, and I knew if we were able to get just one of them, it was going to be a home run. But it felt like a grand slam when we got both of them.”

It’s possible that McIntyre’s ascension to one of the top players in NCAA Division 2 could open up opportunities for him to play at the Division 1 level with his fifth season of eligibility. Beyond that, a scorer of his caliber could also have professional basketball opportunities in the future.

“The possibilities are endless. I believe God is going to do what God does,” McIntyre said. “I’ve just been trying to lock in and focus on this year.”

Westmont has compiled a 9-13 record overall so far this season and is 7-7 in the PacWest Conference. The Warriors are fighting to earn a spot in the conference tournament. The winner of the PacWest tournament receives an automatic bid to the NCAA Division 2 tournament.

See bit.ly/42HoSDN for the complete schedule of the Westmont men’s basketball season.