WHITTIER, Calif. (Dec. 3, 2025) – The Whittier College men's basketball team opened conference play in statement fashion on Wednesday night, defeating Cal Lutheran 70–65 at Dave Jacobs Court in a rematch of last season's SCIAC Tournament Semifinal. The Kingsmen ended the Poets' postseason run one year ago, but this time Whittier flipped the script with a composed, defensive-minded performance to secure a meaningful early-season conference win.
Both teams traded punches throughout a tight, physical battle that featured 10 lead changes and five ties. The Poets leaned on their half-court defense, holding Cal Lutheran to just 42 percent shooting and forcing 13 turnovers. It marked Whittier's lowest point total allowed this season and one of its strongest defensive showings against a SCIAC opponent in recent years.
Jonathan Duley (Rocklin, Calif. / Del Oro / Cuyamaca College) was steady from start to finish, scoring 15 points and knocking down three threes to help drive the Poets' offense. Peyton Guerrero (Huntington Beach, Calif. / Ocean View) continued his efficient stretch off the bench with 12 points on five-for-seven shooting, providing a crucial spark during a back-and-forth second half. Tochi Onyeador (Amuri, Nigeria / MEC / Los Medanos College) battled on the interior for nine points and 10 rebounds, his fourth double-digit rebounding effort in five games, while Jaden Mathis (Pasadena, Calif. / Pasadena / Palomar College) added nine points and two threes. Sean Cervantes (Hacienda Heights, Calif. / La Mirada) chipped in eight points and five assists, orchestrating the late-game offense with poise.
Whittier's toughness showed most in the closing minutes. With the game tied inside the final 40 seconds, Cervantes delivered one of the biggest shots of the night, slicing through traffic for a go-ahead layup that put the Poets up 66-64. Moments later, Chinecherem Nwanevu (Eastvale, Calif. / Norco), who had been a force on the glass all evening, calmly sank back-to-back free throws to extend the lead to three. With six seconds remaining, Nwanevu sealed the victory in spectacular fashion, leaping into the passing lane to steal Cal Lutheran's inbound attempt before racing down the floor and hammering home a two-handed dunk to close out the win.
Head Coach Mark Jensen and the Poets improve to 4-1 overall and 1-0 in SCIAC play. They'll stay at home for a major early-season test on Saturday, December 6 at 2 p.m., hosting undefeated Claremont-Mudd-Scripps, who received votes in the latest D3hoops.com Top 25 Poll.
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