Box Score

By Roy Elia

WALLA WALLA - To say that Whitman put forth a team effort on Saturday night would be stating the obvious.

Forward Ben Eisenhardt (Sr., Bainbridge Island, Wash.), in his second game back after being out since November due to a concussion, led five Missionaries in double figures with 17 points to power Whitman to an 88-78 victory over stubborn Willamette in a Northwest Conference men's basketball game on George Ball Court at Sherwood Center.

The Missionaries improved to 8-2 in the NWC, 13-6 overall, and dropped the Bearcats to 1-9 and 3-16.

Whitman's big men played significant parts in act one of Saturday's clash. Eisenhardt (Sr., Bainbridge, Island, Wash.) and fellow forward Evan Martin (So., Las Vegas, Nev./Centennial), who ended up with 14 points, tallied 14 and 10 points, respectively, as the Missionaries forged a 44-33 lead at the break. Both made 5-of-6 shots from the field in the opening period.

Clay Callahan (Jr., Corvallis, Ore.) handled the distribution portion of Whitman's offensive showing in half one. He recorded four assists as Whitman chalked up 10 dimes on 16 baskets.

Willamette crept back into contention within the first seven-and-a-half minutes of the second half. Jake Stevens made one of two free throw with 12:36 remaining to bring the Bearcats within five, 57-52.

But Tochi Oti (So., Los Angeles, Calif./Loyola), who concluded the night with 16 points, fueled a 7-0 Whitman spurt with a driving layin, Matt Mounier (Jr., Encino, Calif./Crespi Carmelite) - who scored 15 points - made two free throws after the assessment of a technical foul to the Willamette bench, and Jackson Clough (So., Seattle, Wash./Seattle Prep) buried a three-point basket to raise the Missionary lead to 12, 64-52.

The lead grew to 14 points - 71-57 on two Eisenhardt freebies with 7:31 left - and 16, 75-59, on an Oti drive and bank shot in deep with 6:55 to go.

Willamette refused to go away. The Bearcats closed to within six, 79-73.

But Oti drove down the final nail in the visitor's coffin with a trey from the top of the key with two ticks on the shot clock and 1:59 on the game clock to make it 82-73.

"He worked so hard in the off-season. He may be the best guard in the conference." Said Coach Bridgeland of Tochi Oti's play over the past several games.

LuQuam Thompson (Sr., Tacoma, Wash./Foss) also figured into Whitman's double-digit attack with 11 points.

"In the last three or four games, LaQuam has played like the best player on the floor." Said Bridgeland.

The Missionaries will be in Tacoma next weekend to oppose Pacific Lutheran on Friday and Puget Sound on Saturday.