Whitman Whitm 7-7,5-0 NWC

Pacific (OR) Pac 8-6,3-2 NWC

Whitman Whitm

7-7,5-0 NWC

Final

Jan. 17, 2025

Pacific (OR) Pac

8-6,3-2 NWC

Score By Periods
Team	1	2	F
Whitman Whitm	28	45	73
Pacific (OR) Pac	30	41	71

Summary
Box Score

Yahir Tzec

Game Recap: Men's Basketball | 1/17/2025 9:39:00 PM

Men's Basketball Wins Thriller On Efe Isik's Late Bucket

FOREST GROVE, Ore. - Ali Efe Isik scored a game-high 20 points with his last bucket coming with two seconds remaining to lift the Whitman College men's basketball team to a thrilling 73-71 win at Pacific in Northwest Conference action on Friday night.

The win keeps Whitman's (7-7, 5-0 NWC) perfect conference record intact and gives them sole possession at the top of the NWC standings approaching the midpoint of league play.

Efe Isik also grabbed a game-high seven rebounds and handed out a team-best six assists. Isaiah Amato added 14 points and Jacob Fotu chipped in 14 points on 6-7 shooting off the bench.

Jake Blazona led the Boxers with 15 points and Lucas Winkler added 14 points and a game-high eight assists.

The Boxers led for almost the entirety of the first half and by as many as 11 points. Amato did have it going early though as his jumper and three pointer gave Whitman a one-point lead with the game barely two minutes old. The Boxers kickstarted their offense in a big way and reeled off 12 unanswered points to go up 16-5 with 14:41 to play.

The Blues absorbed the haymaker and began to chip away at the Boxer lead. Fotu and Efe Isik both scored at the hoop, then Amato nailed a pair of jumpers to make it an 18-12 ball game with 9:52 to play. Joel Meske hit a pair of buckets to keep the Blues at bay, but down the stretch it was Efe Isik who scored a pair of driving layups to whittle the deficit to two points by halftime.

The second half saw a back-and-forth battle which came down to the wire and Efe Isik's eventual game winner. The Blues were just a couple of possessions away from grabbing a foothold of the result after Fotu nailed a three pointer to put Whitman up 67-63 with 3:11 to play. The Boxers responded and nailed three pointers on their next two possessions to go up two with 2:10 remaining.

Fotu halted the Pacific momentum and evened the game at 69-69 on a layup with only 1:20 to play. The two teams traded baskets before Efe Isik nailed his straightaway jumper with only two seconds on the clock. Pacific's attempt to win at the buzzer was unsuccessful and the Blues walked away with the win.

Whitman looks to close out the weekend on Saturday with a win at George Fox. Tipoff is set for 4:00 p.m.

#GoWhitman

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