Box Score

PORTLAND, Ore. – Warner Pacific overcame a seven point halftime deficit to turn back a strong challenge from Lewis & Clark College tonight, 73-65, at Bart Valentine Court.

Stephen Harris scored 22 points for the host Knights, which included a momentum changing dunk with 3:20 to play in the game. The loss drops the Pioneers to 3-6 on the season, while the Knights improve to 8-3.

The visiting Pioneers had the upper hand in the first period with accurate shooting from three point range. Jason Lunhow drained a trio of shots from behind the arc in the opening 10 minutes, punishing the WPC zone defense. Serg Ovchinnikov got in on the act as well, hitting 3 of 5 attempts from distance for the Pioneers. The third trey from Ovchinnikov gave L&C their largest lead of the night at 35-25 with 3:13 left in the first period. Coletun Tarr closed the margin for WP with a hoop and harm in the final minute, sending the teams to the locker rooms with the score 35-28.

Warner Pacific started the second half with full-court pressure defense which led to a few easy baskets, and a Harris layup at the 12:02 mark cut the Pioneer lead to 44-41. Another three pointer from Ovchennikov kept L&C in front but few minutes later, a trey from WP's Doug Thomas tied the game at 50-50.

With the Knights struggling to score down the stretch, Harris rumbled down the lane for a jam that energized the crowd and gave WP a 62-54 lead that would not be relinquished. Quinten Sims hit a pair of free throws for the Pios with 44 seconds to play which cut the WP lead down to 68-65, but the Knights hit all six of their attempts from the charity stripe in the final moments to secure the win. 

Doug Thomas led Warner Pacific with 24 points, 21 of which came in the second half. Harris pulled down eight rebounds to go with his 22 points.

Ovchennikov scored 19 points for Lewis & Clark, while Ross Erickson added 14 points and six rebounds.