WALLA WALLA, Washington – You can never count the Loggers out.
 
Once again, the Puget Sound men's basketball team found itself in a significant deficit, but the Loggers came back to beat Whitman, 83-79, Friday night.
 
The Blues held a 15-point lead, 36-21, late in the first half, but the Loggers cut it to single digits, 43-34, when CJ Geathers scored in the paint heading into halftime.
 
Whitman held a 59-49 lead with 12:20 on the clock in the second half, but a 3-pointer by Dezman Baker cut the deficit to single digits. A couple minutes later, Baker scored on a fastbreak to make it a 61-56 game.
 
After forcing the Blues to turn the ball over, Taj Phillips made a couple of free-throws to make it a one-possession game, 61-58, with 10 minutes on the clock.
 
The Loggers finally got over the hump with 6:35 left in regulation when Liam Ruttledge converted a three-point play that gave Puget Sound 71-69 lead.
 
Whitman reclaimed the lead, 76-75, forcing the Loggers to call a timeout with 3:16 to play. Coming out of the huddle, Baker knocked down a trey and the Loggers went up, 78-76. The Loggers held on to the lead the rest of the way.
 
Four Loggers scored in double figures, led by a season-high 14 from Baker. Phillips scored 13 points, Grant Erickson scored 12, and Mussie Teclemariam added 11.
 
The Loggers remain on the road to take on Whitworth Saturday, Jan. 28, at 6 p.m.