The Warriors came up with a win in their biggest game of the season, and once again they did it as a team.
Westmont’s men’s basketball team never trailed No. 15 Fresno Pacific and ended up winning 67-63 at Murchison Gymnasium Tuesday night, extending their winning streak to six.
The win was huge for the Warriors’ playoff hopes, putting them at a tie for third in GSAC with the Sun Birds and Azusa Pacific. After going 5-5 the first trip through the GSAC schedule, the Warriors are now 7-1 in the second round.
Four players scored in double-figures for Westmont, and the game was played with unmatched intensity. Blake Bender finished the game with 18 points, including 14-of-18 from the free throw line, to go with five rebounds, five assists, and three steals.
“This game was huge,” said Bender. “We really wanted this one.”
Throughout the game, players were diving on the floor trying to save every ball. Defensively, both teams combined for 22 steals while the offenses committed 37 turnovers. Chris Jackson, who scored 11 points with 4 assists, led the Warriors with six steals. The 5-foor-9 guard had a stellar game across the board, finishing with nine rebounds as well.
“CJ was our leading rebounder,” said coach John Moore. “He played with the heart of a seven-footer.”
He also came up huge down the stretch with some plays that helped preserve the win.
With 1:13 to go in the game and the Warriors ahead by two, Dan Rasp (17 points, 4 rebounds) came down with a rebound, but then appeared to throw the ball away toward the sideline. Out of nowhere, however, Jackson was able to grab the ball before it went out of bounds and also keep himself from going out.
With 40 seconds left, Jackson came down with a rebound after a missed jumper by Rasp, weaving through three Sunbird players along the way. As he grabbed the ball he was falling out of bounds, but somehow threw the ball off the feet of Jesse Childs to keep possession for the Warriors.
“It’s a combination of really wanting to win this game, loving my teammates and being a senior,” said Jackson explaining how he was able to make the play.
Westmont ended up making a free throw, and on the next possession Jackson came down with another rebound, following it with two free throws to give Westmont a 5-point lead.
Fresno’s Adrian Hernandez made an old fashion three-point play with 10 seconds left, drawing a foul on Jackson. But with six seconds left, Andrew Schmalbach made both of his free throws, icing the game.
Those two free throws put Schmalbach at 999 career points at Westmont.
“We knew how important this win was for us,” said Moore. “I thought it was a very nice showing by our whole team.”
The win puts the Warriors at 20-7 overall and 12-6 in Conference, while the loss drops Fresno Pacific to 22-6, 12-6.
The Warriors’ next game will be at Vanguard on Saturday, with tipoff set for 7:30 p.m.
