PORTLAND, Ore. -
Grant Hunt scored a team-high 19 points,
Isaiah Amato added 18 points and six rebounds but it wasn't enough as the Whitman College men's basketball team fell to Lewis & Clark 66-62 in Northwest Conference action on Saturday night.
The Blues (9-12, 7-5 NWC) lost despite turning over the ball only six times compared to the Pio's 17, but they ran up against a hot-shooting Lewis & Clark team who shot 59% from the floor.
The Pioneers were led by Isaac Ticeson's 20-point, 12-rebound performance and saw Sam Henderson chip in 19 points and Mikey Medlock, Jr. chip in 12 more off the bench.
The Blues held a slim early lead after a three pointer from Jacob Fotu and a made jumper from Milos Sarenac to go up 11-7 with 13:52 to play in the first half.
That's when the Pios took control and reeled off 15 unanswered points. Medlock, Jr. capped the run with an and-one layup to put his team up 24-12 with 9:04 to play. The Blues rebounded though as Hunt halted the run with a three pointer and Amato and Bernard Dzesi both scored at the hoop. Hunt drained another triple to make it a two-point game with just over five minutes to play.
Sam Henderson followed with a three pointer but the Blues retained the momentum and tied the game when Fotu found a cutting Alex Pape who scored to tie the game. It was LC's turn to regroup as the Pios assumed an eight-point lead and led 39-33 at the half.
The Blues trailed the entire second half but always remained in striking distance, threatening to tie or take the lead on several instances in the final four minutes. Twice Amato brought the Blues to within a basket, first after nailing a three pointer with 3:49 to play, then later on a layup with 43 seconds remaining. The two-point margin would be as close as Whitman would get as Lewis & Clark held on for the win.
The Blues now return home for three straight games beginning with George Fox on Friday, Feb. 14 at 6:00 p.m.
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