OLYMPIA, Wash. - With Evergreen trailing visiting Warner Pacific, 85-84, following a pair of free throws by Bryce White with 7.5 seconds left, Taylor Drey took a pass from Jarrick Mitchell, pulled up from about 30 feet away and swished the game-winning shot with 1.1 seconds on the clock.

After a timeout, Warner Pacific's ensuing three-quarter court inbounds pass was batted away by Jonathan Jack-Nixon, making his best impression of Seahawks free safety Earl Thomas, and time expired.

The 87-85 Cascade Collegiate Conference victory was the fourth in a row overall for the Geoducks (5-4 overall, 2-1 CCC), while Warner Pacific (3-4, 1-2) suffered its second consecutive defeat in the conference.

The Geoducks scored the game's first eight points on consecutive three-pointers by Drey and Dalton Groenewold and a layup by Ryan Quigley, and they took their first double-digit lead less than four minutes into the contest. Though Warner Pacific whittled its deficit to two points at 25-23, Evergreen responded by opening up a 44-32 halftime lead.

That margin grew to as many as 19 points three minutes into the second half, but the Knights, a conference power, were by no means done. With Collin Malcolm scoring 18 of his 26 points in the second half, Warner Pacific took its first lead of the game at 78-76 on a layup by De'Corrius Sampson-Young with 3:07 to play. That, as it turned out, was the largest lead of the game for the Knights.

That led to the closing seconds, White's two go-ahead free throws, and Drey's final three-point dagger.

The Geoducks, who finished with 25 assists on their 29 field goals, shot 43 percent overall and were perfect on 18 free throw attempts. Evergreen also enjoyed a narrow 40-38 rebounding edge.

White was outstanding for Warner Pacific with 29 points, nine rebounds and five assists, and Malcolm was equally impressive with 26 points, 13 rebounds and four blocks.


Story courtesy of Evergreen sports information