TACOMA, Wash. - One day fresh off
clinching the 2008-09 Northwest Conference title, the sixth-ranked
Puget Sound Loggers held off the Whitman Missionaries, 82-72, in a
Northwest Conference men's basketball game on Saturday night at
Memorial Fieldhouse in Tacoma, Wash.
In the first half, the Missionaries seemed to have the Loggers
number as they took an initial lead on a three-pointer by Chris
Faidley just 21 seconds into the game and didn't look back, pulling
ahead by 10 points at the 12:22 mark on another three-pointer from
Faidley.
The Loggers battled back into the game, pulling back within two
points on a lay-up by Austin Boyce (Kent, Wash./Kentwood) with 7:03
left to go in the first half. The Loggers got the deficit down to
one point on a pair of free throws by Antwan Williams (Portland,
Ore./Madison) following a technical foul on Whitman's Steve
Campbell. Another Whitman three-pointer and a lay-up by Jason
Foster (Spanaway, Wash./Henry Foss) put the score at 38-36 in favor
of Whitman heading into halftime.
In the second half, the Loggers moved from their traditional
full-court pressure defense to a more traditional half-court
offense and the change worked as the Loggers tied the game at 40-40
on a jumper by Nadav Heyman (Corvallis, Ore.) and then took their
first lead of the game less than a minute later on the
three-pointer from Williams.
The Loggers continued to pull away, taking a 10-point lead with
14:30 remaining on a three-ball by Robert Krauel (Phoenix,
Ariz./North Canyon). The Missionaries finally figured out how to
match the Loggers but they weren't able to complete the comeback as
the Loggers held on for the 81-71 win.
The Loggers were led by 14 points from Krauel and 13 from Williams.
Bryce Levin (Everett, Wash.) came off the bench to add 12 points,
all on three-pointers. Foster finished the game with eight points,
11 rebounds and four blocks on the night.
Whitman was led by 25 points from Faidley. Jordan Wheeler finished
with 15 points and Brandon Shaw with 10 points. David Michaels
added 13 boards for the Missionaries.
The Loggers hit the road next week, traveling to Pacific and
Willamette to conclude the 2008-09 regular season. The Loggers have
already clinched the top seed in the NWC Tournament and will host
the fourth seed on Feb. 26.
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