Box Score BOX SCORE
SALT LAKE CITY – Warner Pacific (Ore.) outscored the Westminster men's basketball team 15-5 over the final 5:28 of the game to hand the No. 9 Griffins an 82-72 loss on Saturday night. The loss is just the second all-time to a non-conference opponent in the Behnken Field House and snaps 11-game winning streak in the same situation. Westminster falls to 1-1 on the season with the defeat.
Warner Pacific (2-0) started the game strong behind a 12-2 run over the game's first five minutes. They continued to use excellent inside defense to force the Griffins into tough shots and eventually opened up a 12-point lead with 11:48 to play in the first half. That final 11:48 belonged to the Griffins as they went on a 16-3 lead and took a 42-20 lead into the intermission.
The second half was a back-and-forth affair with neither team opening up more than a four point cushion through the first 14:32. That is when Warner Pacific forced the Griffins into four turnovers and four more missed jumpers. The Knights went just 3 of 6 from the line during the stretch, but cam away with six offensive rebounds and turned them into eight points.
“We were right in the game with five minutes to go and we just turned it over,” Westminster head coach Tommy Connor noted. “They are a good team and the beat us, but when we turn it over on multiple possessions we have no chance to win.”
Ben Walker posted his first double-double for the Griffins, scoring 16 points and pulling down 11 rebounds. He did much of his damage in the second half, including baskets on back-to-back possessions to get the Griffins back in the game.
“We need him to play like that,” said Connor. “He was a bright spot there and I am really proud of him.”
Weston Anderson led the team with 18 points, but struggled to find his touch as he was just 8 of 19 shooting.
Blair Prowse finished with 15 points and six rebounds.
Michael Stockton went for eight points while
Jeramie Hopson had seven points and six assists.
Reggie Gyuton led Warner Pacific with a game-high 28 points. Guyton was 5 of 9 from beyond the arc and added eight rebounds and four assists. Kaylone Riley had 19 points, 13 rebounds, and eight blocked shots.
Westminster returns to the hardwood on Friday, November 13 when they face No. 8 Concordia (Calif.) at the 2009 Las Vegas Classic. The game will be played at Desert Oasis High School and begins at 5:00 p.m.
