OLYMPIA - Warner Pacific scorched the nets, shooting 67 percent from the field in handling The Evergreen State College, 92-55, in a Cascade Collegiate Conference men's basketball game played Saturday night at CRC Gymnasium.

The visiting Knights, ranked No. 21 in this week's NAIA Division II Top 25 national poll, improved their record to 17-4 overall. They are now 7-2 in the CCC, good for a three-way tie with Southern Oregon and College of Idaho after the first round of conference play.

With the defeat the Geoducks are 3-13 overall and 0-9 in the conference.

Playing their second consecutive Top 25 opponent and the third in the past four games, the Geoducks fell behind 5-0 before rallying to take an 11-7 lead after seven minutes. Marquise Doss, Jordan Dam and Donald Terry all knocked down three-point field goals during Evergreen's 11-2 surge.

Warner Pacific regained the lead for good at 14-13 when Ryan Parks drained a three with 11:32 left in the period. That long ball was just a warm up for Parks in the second half when the Knights really put the Geoducks away.

In the opening minutes of the final period the Knights outscored the hosts, 30-5, increasing their 15-point halftime lead to 72-32. Parks was in the midst of that, nailing four long-range threes.

Parks was perfect on all five of his three-point attempts on the way to a game-high 17 points. Earl Jones added 14 points and six assists, Laron Daniels was 6-for-6 from the floor on the way to 13 points, and Keaton Bankofier added 10 points. Jones was the only starter among that foursome. Daniels led a 38-22 Warner Pacific rebounding edge with seven boards.

Doss led the Geoducks with 12 points, knocking down a trio of three-pointers, and David Weatherspoon came off the bench to add 10 points and a team-high five rebounds.

Evergreen shot just 34 percent overall (19-for-56), including 24 percent (7-for-29) from beyond the arc.


Story courtesy of Evergreen Sports Information