Photo by: Tony Leon/ActionWestPhotography.com

WHITTIER, Calif. – The Whittier College men's basketball team saw their comeback fall short Saturday evening as they fell 82-68 against Chapman University during the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) opener.

Whittier now drops to 6-4, 0-1 SCIAC, while Chapman remains undefeated on the season at 10-0, 1-0 SCIAC.

The Panthers came out firing on all cylinders shooting 100% from the field in the first six minutes led by Colin Zavrsnick who connected every time he touched the ball tossing in 27 of his season high 36 points that came on nine three pointers that gave CU a 53-31 halftime lead.

In the second Whittier held Chapman to just 29 points and 32.1% shooting, while staging a comeback cutting the deficit to seven 75-68 thanks to a 28-9 run that covered a twelve minute stretch.  The run included seven three pointers and 14 points from Andrew Torres (Whittier, Calif.) who finished with a team high 25 points for the game on 10-of-18 shooting and six rebounds. 

But the comeback would fall short as the Panthers would add five straight free throws from Colin Zavrsnick and Taylor Hamasaki in the final 1:21 that secured the road victory.

Eric Jennings (Fontana, Calif.) was the only other Poet in double figures with 14 along with five rebounds, two assists and a steal, while Louis Kurihara (Pacific Palisades, Calif.) picked up nine points off the bench.

Hamasaki picked up 18 points and six rebounds for Chapman and Justin Young had 10 points and nine rebounds.      

Whittier remains at home this Tuesday, January 6 when they host Caltech beginning at 7:30pm.