By Jacob Hayes

NEWBERG --- The George Fox men's basketball team took on the Whitman Blues on Saturday, Jan. 18, but the Blues used a massive second half to hand the Bruins a 105-77 loss.

Recap

Whitman took control of the game early, leading 9-0 before Ryan Lacey got George Fox on the board with a strong drive and lay-up.  Whitman extended the lead to 15-5, but the Burins found a rhythm and brought the score to 17-14 with 11:34 left in the half.  Two assists from Jackson Januik to Emilio Mancol and Wesley Reynolds gave them the spark they needed.   

Both teams traded possessions going shot for shot, but the Bruins took the lead 30-27, breaking the Blue's full court press and giving JD Ahlstrom the open corner three.  Going into the media timeout at 3:39, the Bruins held the lead 35-34, but by the end of the half, the Blues took the lead back 38-37.

The second half opened with three quick threes from Whitman's Trevor Osbourne, making the score 47-37. Ahlstrom answered with a three of his own, but the Blues kept rolling, extending the lead to 60-42. The points kept piling on as Whitman took advantage of being in the bonus, maintaining the 20-point lead with 9:34 left to play, up 74-54.   

The Bruins continued to fight, but the 20 point deficient turned into 30. With 4:40 left, the Blues were up 94-64.  Both teams substituted all of their starters out with the game all but over. The Blues would win by a final of 105-77.

Top Performers

Januik lead the Bruins with six assists while both he and Ahlstrom tied for team lead with 11 points. Reynolds finished the game with team-high nine rebounds.

What It Means

The Bruins fall to 2-4 in conference play and 6-9 overall after the tough loss.  

What Happens Next

George Fox takes on the Puget Sound Loggers on Friday night in Miller Gymnasium. Tip-off is scheduled for 8:00 after the women's game wraps up.