Box Score By: Alex Plusquellec
NEWBERG, Ore. --- Despite racking up 96 points, the George Fox men's basketball team fell to conference foe Puget Sound at Wheeler Sports Center Friday night in a 108-96 slugfest.
Recap:
Jonathan Doutt got the Bruins going early, scoring the first two buckets before Thomas Rico knocked down three free throws to give the home team a 7-2 lead in opening minutes.
The hot start dwindled quickly as the Loggers rebounded to tie the game 12-12. Puget Sound then seized control, going on an 18-5 run to grab a 30-17 lead halfway through the first half.
Dylan Hamlett's layup just before half cut the deficit to 58-37 after a Logger dominated first period.
The Loggers came out in the second half looking to finish the Bruins, especially after taking a 95-80 lead into the final 5 minutes.
To their credit, the Bruins continued to chip away. With just over a minute remaining, the Bruins found themselves down single digits, 98-89. After four free throws by the Loggers, Mason Green-Richards nailed a 3-pointer to bring the Loggers' lead to 104-94.
Michael Mercado-Smith knocked down a jumper in the final seconds, but it was not enough as the Loggers captured the road win 108-96.
Top Performers:
Rico led the way in a losing effort with 24 points on 7-of-14 shooting. His mark of 24 points pushed him over the edge for 1,000-points scored at George Fox, and is now tied for 36th all-time with 1,004 points.
Ryan Lacey backed him up with 20 points and five rebounds. Jackson Januik paired his 10 points with a team-high seven assists.
What It Means:
After a slew of non-conference opponents, the Bruins loss to the Loggers brings their overall record to 5-7 overall and 1-2 in the NWC.
What Comes Next:
The Bruins will return to action Saturday evening as they take on visiting Pacific Lutheran at 6 p.m.
