WHITTIER, Calif. (Jan. 17, 2025) – The Whittier College men's basketball team returned to Dave Jacobs Court on Saturday afternoon for conference play, using the contest as an opportunity to gain valuable experience against one of the nation's top programs. Despite the final score, the Poets continued to compete through all 40 minutes while leaning on depth and development within the rotation.

The Poets showed continued energy on both ends of the floor, particularly through stretches of the second half, where Whittier responded with improved ball movement and defensive activity. Despite the result, the group stayed engaged and continued to compete through the final horn.

Chinecherem Nwanevu (Eastvale, Calif. / Norco / San Bernardino Valley College) provided a lift offensively, finishing with a season-high 13 points while shooting efficiently from the field. Tochi Onyeador (Amuri, Nigeria / MEC / Los Medanos College) once again controlled the glass, pulling down 11 rebounds and adding two blocks as he anchored the paint on the defensive end.

Whittier also saw valuable contributions from its bench, including David Estes (Henderson, Nev. / Basic / College of Southern Nevada), who delivered strong defensive minutes and recorded a season-high in blocks. The Poets continued to rotate through multiple contributors, gaining important experience as conference play moves forward.

Whittier moves to 11–5 overall and 4–3 in SCIAC play, and will look to carry that competitive mindset into its next matchup. Head Coach Mark Jensen and the Poets return to Dave Jacobs Court on Monday, January 19, at 7 p.m. to take on Occidental.

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