WHITTIER, Calif. (Jan. 8, 2024) – Senior guard
Aamari Smith (Decatur, Ga. / Roosevelt / San Bernardino Valley College) of the Whittier College men's basketball team's talents proved instrumental in the Poets completing an impressive comeback against Chapman University on Wednesday night. While the Panthers entered the game 3-0 in SCIAC play, the Poets took the Panthers' "zero" with a 68-67 win.
Smith started slow, but soon began to find his comfort zone -- and range -- in transition sequences. With just under three minutes to go, the Poets trailed by as many as nine points, but slowly but surely, they put themselves in a position to win the game with some smart, heads-up plays on offense. Junior guard
Chine Nwanevu (Eastvale, Calif. / Norco / San Bernardino Valley College) was as important to this stretch as any Poet -- he knocked down a pair of free throws, picked up a big steal in the Panthers' back court, dished to senior guard
Andrew Milot (Murrieta, Calif. / Balboa / Knox College) who dished it back on a well-timed alley-oop that cut the Panthers' lead to just two. While the Panthers answered with free throws of their own, Milot countered with a three-point play beneath the visiting basket that cut the Chapman lead down to one. Milot was a huge factor for the Poets in the game's waning minutes, but with the Poets needing to foul in order to create opportunities for themselves, the senior picked up three in succession and four over the game's final three minutes resulting in his exclusion for the game's final two possessions.
Three missed free throws down the stretch ultimately cost the Panthers a chance to go 4-0, and the Smith-led Poets were opportunistic enough to capitalize. With eight seconds to play, Smith got a semi-open look from the top of the key, and drained the shot to put the Purple & Gold up by one with 1.4 seconds remaining in regulation. The Panthers threw up a heave in desperation, but were unable to convert as Whittier picked up its second NCAA win in the last three games while moving to 2-1 in conference play. Smith finished with 32 points in 36 minutes and successfully continued his pursuit of SCIAC Offensive Athlete of the Year.
However, Smith was not the only Poet to shine on Wednesday. Whittier couldn't have been in a position to win without an epic effort from senior center
Tyler Watters (Aurora, Colo. / Grandview / West Valley Community College). Watters had a career night, coming one rebound shy of a double-double, though his defense proved to be the ultimate difference maker. Watters had five blocks, four of which came in the first half and got involved with some excellent perimeter defense that resulted two steals, including a scoop and score early in the first half to help set the tone for the Poets.
Head Coach Mark Jensen and the Poets will return at home this weekend when they host the University of La Verne for a 4 p.m. game.
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