Photo: Tony Leon/ActionWestPhotography.com

CLAREMONT, Calif. (Feb. 9, 2022) – The Whittier College men's basketball team willed themselves back into the game at Pomona-Pitzer Colleges on Wednesday night behind a 26-6 second-half run where the Poets hit four three-pointers, three of which came courtesy of freshman wing Cameron Stiepock (Glastonbury, Conn. / St. Andrew's Prep).

As the Poets' offense struggled to find its footing in the earlygoing, the Sagehens grinded their way to a 24-point lead with roughly 15 minutes to play in regulation. With plenty of time to mount a comeback, the Poets first got on the board with an emphatic dunk from senior center Kyle Price (Rocklin, Calif. / Cal Maritime Academy), which classmate Nick Colosi (La Mirada, Calif. / La Mirada) followed up with six-consecutive points. From there, Stiepock did most of the damage with some help from his teammates. The freshman made three-consecutive three-pointers and a pair of foul shots that helped chip away at the Sagehens' lead. His last triple of the run came on a dish from freshman guard Kunal Bagga (Anaheim, Calif. / Servite) and cut the home team's lead to just four, helping to erase more than a half's worth of offensive frustration.

Junior center Ethan Battistini (Angwin, Calif. / College of Marin) also played a pivotal role in the Poets' second-half run, scoring five of his 12 points with a three-pointer mixed in for good measure. Battistini was also the Poets' most efficient scorer of the night, shooting 50-percent from the field. The Poets would keep the Sagehens within striking distance for the remainder of the game, but were unable to get over the hump that would have enabled them to steal a massive win on the road. Much of the success the Poets saw in Wednesday night's game can be attributed to their ability to take care of the basketball. The visitors committed just nine turnovers on the night, the first time they have committed less than 10 all season. The Poets' ability to hang on to the ball ultimately led to 70 field goal attempts, their most since the California Miramar University game, that helped them claw their way back into contention. Junior guard Bryant Howing (Hacienda Heights, Calif. / Rio Hondo College) led the way for the Purple & Gold, scoring 15 points off the bench.

Head Coach Mark Jensen and the Poets will have three more prime opportunities to improve their SCIAC standing before the postseason tournament begins. Next up will be a road game at the University of La Verne on Saturday, Feb. 11 at 2 p.m.

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