TACOMA, Wash. - Playing without leading scorer Austin Boyce
(Kent, Wash./Kentwood) for most of the game, the Puget Sound
Loggers stood strong and held off the Willamette Bearcats, 92-85,
in a Northwest Conference men's basketball game on Friday night at
Memorial Fieldhouse in Tacoma, Wash.
The Loggers got off to the lightning quick start, taking a 6-0
lead just 51 seconds into the game and forcing Willamette to burn
their first timeout. The Logger lead hit double-digits at the
16:35 mark in the first half when sophomore Nadav Heyman
(Corvallis, Ore.) hit a free-throw to give Puget Sound a 15-5
lead. Puget Sound pushed the advantage to 20 points with
11:14 left in the first period and the Bearcats couldn't claw back
as the Loggers held a 50-35 halftime advantage.
In the second half, the Bearcats finally were able to find their
shot, especially from behind the arc. Puget Sound improved
their shooting in the second period, making 57.1% of their attempts
but the Bearcats were able to chip at the lead thanks to seven
three-pointers as they got within just three points with 5:55 left
in the game. Luckily for the Loggers, a good night shooting
free throws helped them fend off the 'Cats, as Puget Sound made
29-of-43 attempts from the charity stripe as they collected the
92-85 victory.
The Loggers were led by 21 points off the bench from Kaleb
Shelton (Tacoma, Wash./Lincoln). Heyman and Conner Gehring
(Port Orchard, Wash./South Kitsap) each added 16 points while
sophomore David Aberg (Seattle, Wash./Roosevelt) led the Logger
starters with 10 points in 31 minutes played.
Willamette was led by 20 points off the bench from Ryan
Meehan. Cameron Mitchell and Marcus Holmes each added 18
points in the losing effort while Mitchell also chipped in 12
rebounds to collect the double-double. Guard Robbie Kunke had
seven assists on the night before leaving the game due to injury.
The Loggers will be back in action next Friday night when they
play Whitworth. As part of a pilot program in the Northwest
Conference, tip-off with the Pirates will be at 6:00 p.m. as the
men will play before the women.