Pirates tame Wolves
All five starters scored in double figures to lead Whitworth to a 95-75 non-conference men’s basketball win over visiting Walla Walla in the Pirates’ home opener Wednesday night.
Bryan Williams and James Jones each scored 21 points to lead the balanced attack. Jon Young added 15 points, including 3 three-pointers, while Ryan Symes chipped in 14 points.
Kevin Hasenfus scored 14 points while also grabbing seven rebounds. Walla Walla was led by center Ryan Wilson, who finished with a double-double of 18 points and a game-high 18 rebounds.
The Pirates (7-0) jumped all over the Wolves early, using a 23-3 run to open up a 35-10 lead.
Symes pushed the score to 47-15 with a high-flying dunk on a fast break. Entering halftime, Whitworth led 57-25 with Williams accounting for 17 points.
Walla Walla (2-8) came out of the locker room with an 8-0 run, which included back to back 3-pointers by Clay Cuny, who finished 6 of 10 from behind the arc.
Whitworth never let the lead slip to less than 20 points despite the Wolves making 10 of 18 second-half 3-pointers.
Whitworth’s perfect start has earned the attention of the voters in the D3hoops.com top 25 men’s poll.
The Pirates are ranked 18th in this week’s poll, the first of the regular-season.
Whitworth was last ranked during the 2002-03 season.
The Pirates open Northwest Conference play at home Friday against Pacific University at 8 p.m. Lewis & Clark visits Saturday at 6 p.m.
Whitworth 95, Walla Walla 75
Walla Walla (2-8)- Bell 1-1 0-0 2, Wilson 8-14 2-3 18, Ostos 3-9 3-3 11, Cuny 6-10 0-0 18, Wade 0-1 0-0 0, Long 2-2 2-3 7, Balk 1-6 2-2 5, Mock 2-4 0-0 5, Wallace 2-5 0-0 6, Solis 0-2 0-0 0, Serns 1-4 0-0 0. Totals 26-63 9-11 75.
Whitworth (7-0)- Jones 9-17 0-0 21, Symes 5-9 4-5 14, Hasenfus 4-6 5-6 13, Williams 8-15 3-3 21, Young 6-9 0-0 15, Beverly 0-1 0-0 0, Richardson 0-0 0-0 0, Willemsen 4-5 0-0 8, Hardy 0-0 0-0 0, Odland 0-2 0-0 0, Jurich 0-3 0-0 0, Montgomery 1-2 1-2 3, Opada 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 37-70 13-16 95.
Halftime—Whitworth 57, Walla Walla 25. 3-Point Goals—Walla Walla 14-39(Cuny 6-10, Wallace 2-4, Ostos 2-6, Mock 1-3, Balk 1-4, Serns 1-4, Long 1-6, Solis 0-2), Whitworth 8-18(Young 3-6, Jones 3-6, Williams 2-5, Beverly 0-1). Fouled Out—None. Rebounds—Walla Walla 34(Wilson 18), Whitworth 36 (Hasenfus 7, Willemsen 7). Assists—Walla Walla 18 (Wade 5), Whitworth (Williams 8). Total Fouls—Walla Walla 14, Whitworth 11. A—475.