Men's Basketball Release
12/19 - GEORGE FOX 68, WHITTIER 64: Schmick's Late Steal and Score Seal Bruins' Win over Poets
WHITTIER, Calif. - The smallest man on the court made the biggest play of the night.
Aaron Schmick, all 5-11 of him, scored his only two points of the game by stealing a cross-court pass and driving for a layup with 3 seconds left, clinching a 68-64 win for the George Fox University Bruins over the Whittier College Poets in a non-conference men's basketball game Monday night here at the Graham Athletics Center.
George Fox took a 5-4 lead two minutes into the game on a three-pointer by Phil Heu-Weller and stretched it to as many as 18 before the half was over. Heu-Weller hit another three en route to 12 first-half points with 1:43 left in the half for the Bruins' largest lead of 37-19, and he canned another from long range to give the visitors a 40-24 advantage at the break.
The Poets battled back in the second half by sinking 17-24 from the field, a red-hot 70.8%. A 13-2 run, capped by a Brandon Robinson layup, brought the Poets to a 52-52 tie, and another Robinson layin with 6:57 left put the home team ahead 54-52. A three-point play by Chris Parker with 6:36 to go put the Bruins back in front, however, and they would not trail again.
A pair of free throws by Heu-Weller gave George Fox a 65-57 lead with 2:40 to go, but the Poets responded with a pair of baskets by Raphael Farlough around a three by Tim Fanning, cutting the margin to one at 65-64 with 28 seconds left. Melvin's free throw made it 66-64 George Fox with 23 seconds left, setting the Poets up for a chance to tie or win. Schmick, however, stepped in front of a pass by Marcus Gibson and raced downcourt for the biggest bucket of the game, preserving the Bruins' 6th win in a row.
Heu-Weller and Parker, who was 7-9 from the field, led the Bruins with 18 points apiece, Melvin added 14, and Brent Satern chipped in with 11. Schmick, the Bruins' second-leading scorer at 14.9 points a game, had trouble scoring on a 1-9 shooting night, but found his teammates who could score, passing out 7 assists. Parker topped the Bruins, who were out-rebounded 34-31, on the boards with 7.
Farlough was the only Poet in double figures with 22 points and also led his team with 6 rebounds. Chris Dalley handed out 10 assists.
George Fox, off to its best start since the 1998-99 team opened up 8-1, is now 7-1 overall. Whittier dropped to 3-4 overall. The Bruins continue their three-game swing through southern California Tuesday at 7:30 p.m., taking on the University of La Verne in a game scheduled for Claremont, Calif., at Claremont-Mudd-Scripps Colleges due to ongoing renovations at La Verne's gym. The Poets are off until Friday, Dec. 30, when they host Willamette University at 7:30 p.m.