By Robert McKinney, Assistant Athletics Director, Communications
SALEM, Ore. -- Jordan Jenkins (Sr., F, Placentia, CA/Valencia HS) scored 20 points while earning his third double-double of the season, helping Willamette University roll past Portland Bible College, 87-54, on Friday, Dec. 7 at Cone Field House. The Bearcats shot 50.0% from the field (30 of 60) and made 13 of 28 three-point shots (46.4%). Willamette improved to 1-7 on the season. Portland Bible dropped to 0-10.
Jenkins also provided Willamette with 10 rebounds, three assists, two steals and one blocked shot. He was 5 of 7 from the field, hit 1 of 2 three-pointers and made 9 of 13 free throws.
Trent Callan (Sr., G, Portland, OR/Lincoln HS) added another double-double for the Bearcats, as he scored 15 points, hauled down a career-high 10 boards, earned seven assists and had three steals. Callan was 6 of 7 on field goals, made his only 3-point attempt, and sank 2 of 2 at the line. He previously earned a high of nine boards against Portland Bible on Dec. 30, 2016.
Also for WU, Caleb Roberts (Sr., W, Salem, OR/North HS) put in 12 points on 4 of 9 three-pointers. Jonathan Watts (Fr., G, San Diego, CA/Rancho Bernardo HS) scored nine points and earned four assists, while Justus Eaglesmith (So., G, Sparks NV/Spanish Springs HS) tallied eight points. Will Huntington (So., P, Oakland, CA/Bishop O'Dowd HS) grabbed six boards.
"I was really impressed by the inner fortitude of our seniors," Willamettte Head Coach Kip Ioane said. "Those kids put up some big numbers tonight to help us get our first win, but more importantly, they kept believing throughout our tough start."
Skylar Geisser led Portland Bible with 12 points. Michael Larson scored 11 points on 5 of 8 shooting. Durham Rosser supplied the Wildcats with 11 rebounds. Troy Woodward achieved eight points, four assists and three steals. Portland Bible shot 35.1% overall (20 of 57), but connected on just 27.6% of its shots in the second half (8 of 29). During the game, the Wildcats were successful on only 3 of 17 shots (17.6%) from behind the 3-point line.
The game was tied twice, at 5-5 following a 3-pointer by Geisser, and at 7-7 after Jenkins scored his second jumper of the game.
Willamette pulled in front 10-7 on a 3-pointer by Jenkins with 15:14 left in the half. The trifecta opened a 15-4 run, as the Bearcats grabbed a 22-11 advantage just before the 10-minute mark. Five Bearcats -- Jenkins, Callan, Watts, Alec Barba (So., W, Dallas, OR/Central HS) and CJ Walker (Jr., P, Placentia, CA/Mayfair HS) scored during the run.
Portland Bible cut the margin to seven points three times over the next four minutes, and eventually pulled within 29-24 on a jumper by Griffin Carson at the 5:39 mark. Willamette registered the next five points on a layup by Callan, a fast-break basket from Watts and a free throw by Jenkins for a 34-24 edge.
The Wildcats got as close as 35-29 on a basket and a foul shot by Larson with 1:46 on the clock, but the Bearcats ended the half with a 7-0 run to take a 42-29 advantage. Jenkins registered 14 points and six rebounds in the first half, while Callan supplied eight points, six boards and five assists.
Roberts opened the second half with a 3-pointer to increase WU's lead to 45-29. The Bearcats led by at least 13 points the rest of the game. WU held at least a 20-point margin over the final 10:39 after a 3-point basket by Barba.
Jenkins remained Willamette's leading scorer and rebounder with 18.3 points and 7.8 boards per game. He has scored 20 or more points in five of the last six games, including each of the last four. Callan reached double figures in scoring for the fifth time this season.
The game between the Bearcats and Northwest Indian College on Saturday (Dec. 8) at Cone Field House has been canceled due to a limited number of active players for the Eagles. The game has been rescheduled for Saturday, Jan. 12 at Cone Field House with tipoff set for 7 p.m. (PST). WU will return to action on Thursday, Dec. 20, when the Bearcats host the University of California, Santa Cruz. Game time is slated for 2 p.m. (PST).
Big Moment of the Game for Willamette
On Willamette's first possession of the second half, senior
wing Caleb Roberts hit a 3-point basket to set the tone
for the final 20 minutes. Roberts later added two more
3-pointers to finish the game with 12 points. He connected
on four 3-pointers overall. Roberts was one of three seniors
who provided the Bearcats with double-digit scoring.