LANCASTER, Calif. (Dec. 14, 2024) – The Whittier College men's basketball team saw contributions from up and down the lineup en route to defeating West Coast Baptist College, 99-84, on the road Saturday afternoon.
Much like the two team's previous meeting, the Poets' offense got going early and often, but saw greater opposition from the Eagles this time around on the road. Senior guard
Aamari Smith (Decatur, Ga. Roosevelt San Bernardino Valley College), who has led the Poets in scoring in every game this season, worked his magic once again with 34 points in just 27 minutes. With 697 points to his name, Smith is on-pace to cross the 1,000-point milestone in just his second year in the program. He also got involved defensively, generating four turnovers for the Poets in a game in which his side finished with a plus-12 turnover differential (6-18).
Smith was not the only Poet to challenge for a point-per-minute pace. Classmate
Roy Kalu (Lynn, Mass. / Pioneer Charter School of Science / Roxbury Community College) came off the bench to score 17 points in 19 minutes of action, converting of 7-of-9 field goals while pulling down a team-high six rebounds. Kalu's high motor was needed in a game where West Coast Baptist shot nearly 20 percent better than the two teams' previous meeting, but thanks to contributions from the senior and others, the Poets were able to pull away from the Eagles with a 99-84 second half.
Sophomore guard
Sean Cervantes (Hacienda Heights, Calif. / La Mirada) also contributed in a meaningful way, tying Smith for the team lead in assists with five in 19 minutes off the bench. In all, 13 of 15 Poets registered points in a get-right game heading into the holidays.
Head Coach Mark Jensen and the Poets will head to Utah to take on Utah Tech in exhibition fare this week before returning home to close out the December home slate against California Miramar University on Thursday, Dec. 19.
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