Box Score Photo by: Tony Leon/ActionWestPhotography.com
WHITTIER, Calif. – The Whittier College Men's Basketball team struggled offensively Saturday putting up just 67 points in a loss to Claremont-M-S.
The Purple & Gold have now dropped four in a row and move to 9-10, 4-6 SCIAC. Even with the four-game losing skid, the Poets still sit two games out of 4th place in the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) Standings.
It was a strong start for the Poets connecting on their first three attempts coming from Ahmad Young (Sunnyvale, Calif.), Nick Potthoff (Phoenix, AZ) and Journey Shank (Burbank, Calif.). WC would hold this lead behind triples from Jude Agbasi (Los Angeles, Calif.) and Nick Manor-Hall (Chino Hills, Calif.). But with 10:11 CMS mounted their comeback stringing together six in a row that cut the deficit to two. The Stags took their first lead of the game at the 6:41 mark following a jumper from JD Levine and they didn't look back outscoring the Poets 14-6 across the final 5:46 giving them a 36-27 lead at the break.
Whittier battled back in the 2nd half getting within three on a couple of occasions. A Kenyatta Louder (Compton, Calif.) jumper, a Shank layup and a Young triple would get WC within three at 40-37 in the early stages of the period. They then moved the score to 43-40 after three free throws from Potthoff and then 45-42 two minutes later after a Shank layup. This though would be the closest Whittier would get as an 8-0 run by the Stags would open things up giving them their largest lead of the evening.
Shank had an explosive game pouring in 14 points on 5-of-7 shooting along with three rebounds. Potthoff chipped in with 12 points, three rebounds, an assists and a steal and Young registered 11 points, while shooting 50% from the field. Manor-Hall led the bench scoring with seven points and Nick Colosi (La Mirada, Calif.) put up six points.
Whittier was efficient offensively on the night shooting 48% from the field and 39% from three-point territory. But inside they were outrebounded 31-28 and lost the battle in the paint 24-22.
Whittier looks to get back on track this Wednesday, February 5 when they travel to take on the University of La Verne beginning at 7:00pm.
