Photo by: Tony Leon/ActionWestPhotography.com

WHITTIER, Calif. – The Whittier College men's basketball team was pushed to the brink Saturday evening against the Flames of Bethesda University as they pulled out a 94-92 overtime victory claiming their first victory for 2012-13.   

Whittier improves to 1-0, while Bethesda University drops to 1-5.  The Flames who are under first year head coach Bruce Victor came into the contest with their lone win being over the Kingsmen of Cal Lutheran University and they pushed the Poets to the end forcing overtime with a desperation three pointer in the waning seconds of the game. 

But Whittier was able to rally to outscore the Flames 14-12 in the extra period.  For the game, Whittier shot 52% from the field and 56% from the charity stripe seeing four players reach double figures including Willie Mebane (18), Tyree Landrum (12), Phillip Thomas (21), and Aaron Fernandez (23). 

The Flames on the other end also saw four players reach double figures with Vince Turner chipping in with a game high 28 points on 11-17 shooting. 

The Purple & Gold jumped out quickly racing to a 25-7 lead, sparked by Fernandez who knocked down three of his game high six three pointers.  Whittier continued to pour on the offense as they extended their lead to 34-11 with 9:35 to play in the first half.  This is when the Flames began chipping back into the Poet lead erasing a 23 point deficit to pull within 13 going into half after they closed out the frame on a 6-1 run capped off with a Turner three pointer.

The second half started off quickly with the game being turned into a seesaw battle but the Poet bigs proved to be too much down the stretch as they won the battle of the boards 52-38, which ultimately led to more possessions and more points on the board. 

After the Flames pulled within eight at 60-52, Whittier's Thomas and Mebane answered with a jump shot and three pointer that extended the Poet lead back to 13. But Bethesda University continued to chip away at the lead pulling once again within ten and then within two at 73-71 after they went on a 10-2 run that covered two and a half minutes.          

After a Porter free throw on the Poets next possession the Flames came down on their next two possessions and made back to back jumpers to take their first lead of the contest 75-74.  The Purple & Gold didn't back down though as Thomas sank one of two free throws to even the game up at 75-75 with 1:38 to play.  After an Alan Marsh missed layup, Fernandez answered on the other end of the court with a three pointer from the corner that put the Poets up by three.  After a quick basket which pulled Bethesda within one, Whittier missed two of four three free throws down the stretch that allowed Ralph Monday to sink a desperation three pointer with 13 seconds to play to send the game to OT. 

In the extra period, the Flames jumped out in front with a three ball from Daniel Chavez and then from Justin Latham to go up 86-84 but Whittier responded with a 6-0 run that put them in front one again at 91-86.  In one last run, Bethesda' Turner buried a three ball with 14 seconds to play and after two made free throws by Thomas, Monday came down with 5 seconds to play and buried one last three to pull the Flames within one but Thomas iced the game burying one of two free throws to help Whittier preserve the two point victory.

Fernandez finished 6-10 from behind the arc, shooting 8-13 from the field, while Mebane led the field with 6 assists.  On the glass, Fernandez finished with 8 boards, with Mebane finished with six.

Whittier hops on the road for their first road contest of 2012-13 when they take on West Coast Baptist on Monday, November 19 beginning at 7:00pm.