NEWBERG, Ore. -- The George Fox men's basketball team put on an offensive clinic in a thrilling, high-scoring showdown against the Pacific Boxers, clinching the win in the final seconds, 92-89.

How It Happened 
Momo Stokes, fresh off of breaking past the 1,000 career point mark the game prior against Willamette, set the tone early for Fox, scoring four points in the first 90 seconds before drilling back-to-back threes as part of an eight-point Bruin run that gave them a 16-10 advantage. Pacific answered quickly with two straight buckets to keep the game within reach.

The Bruins found their rhythm again just minutes later, with Jett Brinceno, Jake Bishop, Samuel Stewart IV and Noah Marte all contributing to push the lead to nine. Aiden Price added back-to-back layups, extending Fox's advantage to 12. Pacific refused to let Fox pull completely away, however, responding with a six point burst and steadily chipping away at the deficit for the remainder of the half. 

In a high quality back-and-forth battle, Pacific gained the momentum in the closing stages of the period, ultimately edging ahead to take the lead at the break, 49-50.

The impressive play from both teams continued into the second half, as the Boxers struck first with a jumper, free throw and dunk to pull ahead by four. Fox wasted no time responding, staying right in the fight with threes from Stewart IV and Stokes — both of whom were near flawless all night.

The Bruins turned the tide four minutes into the half on the back of electrifying shooting from Jake Bishop. The freshman nailed three triples as part of a 13 point run for Fox, propelling the Bruins into an eight point lead. 

Pacific went on a seven point run of their own to tie the game with 10 minutes remaining, and the game remained a nail-biter right up to the final whistle. 

With two minutes on the clock, Nick Greenwood dropped five straight points to give Fox a six point cushion. Pacific had an answer, however, just as they had all game, draining a clutch three pointer and step-back jumper to erase Fox's buffer in seconds. With just 45 seconds left in the game, the Bruins held onto a slim one-point advantage. 

Momo Stokes then came up big at the free throw line, sinking both shots after a Pacific foul to put Fox up by three with 10 seconds on the clock. The drama wasn't over yet, though. 

Fox's defense fouled a last ditch half court shot from the Boxers, sending Pacific to the line with a chance to force overtime. The Boxers converted the first but missed the next two, allowing Fox to secure the ball and escape with a thrilling win, 92-89. 

Top Performers
Samuel Stewart IV led what was an electric display from the entire lineup, ending the night with 25 points, seven rebounds and four assists after shooting 8-11 from the floor. Momo Stokes put together yet another great performance, going 3-5 on three point shots on his way to 18 points. Stokes was also crucial defensively, collecting five steals. Freshman Jake Bishop was lethal from beyond the arc, scoring his 15 points from triples alone. 

Coach's Thoughts
"Guys stepped up huge tonight for us," Bruin head coach Maco Hamilton said, "Our attention to detail defensively in the second half was the key."

What It Means 
The Bruins improve to 9-11 (5-6 NWC) while the Boxers fall to 10-10 overall (5- NWC).

What Comes Next
The George Fox men's basketball team will return to the court on Friday, February 7th for another home matchup against Pacific Lutheran (9-10, 6-4 NWC). Tip off is scheduled for 6:00 p.m.