Needing an inside presence and a championship mentality, UT Permian Basin Men's Basketball got just that with the addition of Chris Orlina. Orlina comes to the Falcons after playing at Division I McNeese State and two seasons at a junior college powerhouse South Plains College, where he won a national championship.
As a freshman the 6-7 forward helped South Plains capture the National Junior College Athletic Association national championship, posting a double-double with 17 points and 10 rebounds against the College of Southern Idaho. He started 21 times and averaged 8.9 points and 4.8 rebounds and shot 51.6 percent from the field. As a sophomore he led South Plains back to the NJCAA Final Four averaging 11 points and 4.6 rebounds. He shined in the postseason, scoring 20 points in a two-point victory over Odessa College to win the Region V title and had 23 points and eight rebounds against Eastern Florida State to advance to the final four.
Orlina played last season at McNeese State where he averaged eight points and four rebounds per game while shooting 66 percent from the field. He was a perfect 6-for-6 from the field and 8-of-9 from the free throw line in a 20 point effort with six assists against Stephen F. Austin. He played sparingly in 2019-20 at McNeese but had a 14-point effort against Campbellsville-Harrodsburg and grabbed 10 rebounds with nine points against Southern-New Orleans. He also added seven points and three rebounds against national power Wisconsin.
"Chris is a perfect example of a point forward," said Head Coach
Josh Newman. "With his size and skill he will be able to help orchestrate our offense as a big in the half court. Chris has the opportunity to be a stat stuffer every time he hits the court. He brings tremendous experience as a grad transfer and a former NJCAA National Champion."
Orlina joins an already loaded Falcon roster now featuring six former Division I transfers and five highly touted freshman. Download the UTPB Athletics App for the latest news on your favorite Falcon teams.
