Box Score

HONOLULU, Hawai'i - Pouring in the most points by a George Fox University player in 13 years, junior guard Jack Martin torched the nets for 37 points as the Bruins picked up their first win of the season 87-77 over the Whittier College Poets on the final day of action in the Surf's Up Invitational Men's Basketball Tournament Saturday afternoon here at Kalani High School.

Martin hit 12-17 from the field, including 8-11 from three-point range, and 5-5 from the line en route to equaling the sixth-most points in a game in Bruin history.  His point total was the most for a Bruin since Jared Gallop notched 39 against Concordia-Portland on Dec. 1, 1995.  His eight three-pointers were one short of the George Fox record of nine in a game by Nick Haij against Concordia-Portland on Nov. 18, 1994. 

Martin tallied 27 points in the first half, making 9-12 shots with 6-7 on threes, and the Bruins needed all of them to stay in the game.  The Poets scored the first four points on a jumper and two free throws by A.J. Manolo, and kept the lead through most of the first half.  The Bruins finally tied the game 36-36 on a trey by Martin with 2:45 left, only to have Whittier regain the lead on a layup by Michael Archuletta.  Alex Stockner retied it with a pair of free throws, and Martin hit a three to give the Bruins their first lead of 41-38 with 1:24 remaining.  Steve Campbell's layup with eight ticks left gave the Bruins a 46-40 halftime lead. 

The Poets scored the first six points of the second half on a basket by Archuletta and two by Marcus Gibson, tying it at 46-46.  Whittier took the lead for the final time on a layup by DaMon Perry to make it 49-47 with 17:19 left, but Grant Vahalla answered with a three to give the Bruins a 50-49 lead, and they never trailed again. 

A Gibson three knotted it for the final time at 55-55, but Martin broke the deadlock with yet another trey with 13 minutes remaining, sparking a 7-0 run that made it 62-55 with 11:25 left.  A three by David Hayashi lifted the Poets back within two at 63-61 with 10 minutes to go, but that was as close as they would get as the Bruins began to pull away.  A basket by Campbell with 3:26 left gave George Fox its first 10-point lead at 81-71 and essentially sealed with the win for the Bruins.

In addition to his big scoring game, Martin also led the Bruins with six rebounds, five assists and three steals.  Evan Atwater chipped in with 12 points, and Campbell also pulled down six rebounds as the Bruins held a 42-33 advantage on the boards.

Archuletta led the Poets with 21 points, Gibson scored 20, and Perry added 18.  Archuletta and Perry had a team-leading seven rebounds each.  Manolo passed out five assists, and Archuletta made five steals.

In Saturday's first game, Pacific University handed California Lutheran University its first loss of the season 78-65 behind 18 points from Garold Howe.  Pacific was 2-0 in the tournament, George Fox and Cal Lutheran 1-1, and Whittier 0-2.

George Fox (1-4) now returns home to face Northwest Christian University Tuesday at 7:30 p.m.  Whittier (0-4) hosts La Sierra University Thursday at 7:30 p.m.