Photo by: Tony Leon/ActionWestPhotography.com

WHITTIER, Calif. – The Whittier College men's basketball team opened up their 2014-15 season with an impressive 105-55 showing against West Coast Baptist Tuesday evening in the friendly confines of the Graham Athletic Center. 

This marks the second time the Poets have scored over 100 points against the Eagles as they went on to win 115-83 back in 2011, while moving the head-to-head match-up with West Coast Baptist to 10-1.    

From the opening whistle it was all Whittier as they jumped out in front 12-3 and then 41-14 behind a 19-0 run that covered a five minute span, which led to them leading 59-26 at the break after shooting 63% from the field and 55% from three point territory.

In the second, the Poets continued where they left off shooting 45% from the field, while putting up 46 points sparked by Nathaniel Chow (Sierra Madre, Calif.) off the bench who had 10 points on 4-of-6 shooting.  The lead increased to 40 points following an 8-0 run midway through the half and a big run of 12 consecutive points would put the finishing touches on the lopsided victory for the Purple & Gold.      

Six players found themselves in double figures led by Nick Demusis (Mililani, HI) and Andrew Torres (Whittier, Calif.) who each had 14 points.  Ben Maynard (Pasadena, Calif.), Louis Kurihara (Pacific Palisades, Calif.), and Andrew Bucholtz (Lone Tree, CO) played quality minutes each tossing in 13 points, while Eric Jennings (Fontana, Calif.) ran the point chipping in with four points but had five rebounds, four steals, and three assists.

Whittier shot 53.8% from the field for the game, was 15-36 from three point territory for a 41.7% clip and won the battle of the boards 46-39.

The Poets capitalized off of turnovers turning 24 of them into 37 points, while receiving 48 points from the bench.  They held a lead as much as 51 points for almost ten minutes in the second half and earned 54 points in the paint. 

For West Coast Baptist, Daniel Foster led the team with 19 points on 6-15 shooting to go with six boards, while Imaan Vicente and Travis Burkett chipped in with 11 and 10 points, each respectively.

Whittier travels to Santa Cruz, Calif. this weekend as they take part in the Holiday Inn Express Classic.  Friday, November 21 they take on UC Santa Cruz at 6:00pm before wrapping up the Classic Saturday, November 22 against Linfield beginning at 6:00pm.