Box Score WHITTIER, Calif. (Feb. 15, 2025) – Senior guard
Aamari Smith (Decatur, Ga. / Roosevelt / San Bernardino Valley College) of the Whittier College men's basketball team had another big game to add to his stellar 2024-25 campaign, this time against nationally-ranked No. 23 California Lutheran University. Smith scored 35 points against the Kingsmen, tying his second-highest scoring total of the season. It is also the fourth time this season he has exceeded 35 points in a game.
Cal Lutheran presents one of the toughest matchups in the conference for all the tools in the team's arsenal both with and without the ball. While the Poets acquitted themselves well against the Kingsmen at home, host Cal Lutheran had more success in the second meeting between SCIAC foes. That did not stop Smith, however, from finding significantly more success against Cal Lutheran the second time around. The senior put away 10 field goals and shot 11-for-12 from the foul line to drive his impressive line. He also went 4-for-8 from deep. Smith's three-point efficiency was a bright spot for Whittier, though classmate
Ignacio Bettinelli (Quilmes, Argentina / Ann Sobrato / West Valley Community College) also started out hot, knocking down his first two threes to give Cal Lutheran something to think about early on.
Whittier also did well to hold Cal Lutheran in check in the rebounding department. Junior wing
Chine Nwanevu (Eastvale, Calif. / Norco / San Bernardino Valley College) and senior center
Tyler Watters (Aurora, Colo. / Grandview / West Valley Community College) carried the load in that department. With Nwanevu posting six rebounds both offensively and defensively to make it an even 12. Watters, meanwhile, came one shy of double-digits for the game. Collectively, Whittier had 37 rebounds, putting them dead even with Cal Lutheran, but thanks to the Kingsmen's efficiency from deep, it proved difficult for the Poets to string together the momentum they needed to mount a comeback late.
Head Coach
Mark Jensen and the Poets are currently fourth in the SCIAC heading into the final week of the season. Claremont-Mudd-Scripps Colleges, the third place team, needs one win in three games to clinch the third seed, which would lock the Poets into the fourth seed and a hosting spot against either Pomona-Pitzer Colleges and Chapman University. Whittier is a combined 3-1 this season against those two possible first round opponents.
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