By Robert McKinney, Assistant Athletics Director, Communications
SALEM, Ore. -- Josiah Frank (Jr., G, Turlock, CA/John H. Pitman HS) sank a 10-foot jumper from inside the lane with 0.8 seconds left to send Willamette University past Lewis & Clark College, 78-76, in a Northwest Conference men's basketball game at Cone Field House on Saturday, Feb. 18. After Frank's basket, L&C called a timeout to set up their final play. Sam Henderson's full-court pass was intercepted by Ryder Hsiung (Jr., G, Honolulu, HI/Punahou School) of Willamette about 75 feet up the court.
Willamette concluded the season with a 14-10 overall record and a 9-7 record in the NWC, as Head Coach Michael Lenahan completed his first year with the Bearcats. Willamette tied for third place in the conference standings, but missed out on qualifying for the four-team NWC Men's Basketball Tournament, as the University of Puget Sound and Pacific University, both 9-7, won the tie-breakers for the final two berths. Willamette's winning record for the season is the first since the Bearcats finished 12-11 in 2008-09. WU also earned its first record above .500 in the NWC since going 9-7 in 2007-08. L&C finished at 6-19 on the season, 2-14 in the NWC.
It was Senior Night for the Bearcats, who honored the team's three seniors prior to the game. This year's seniors were Jack Boydell (Grad., W, Sonoma, CA/Sonoma Valley HS), Paul McSlarrow (Sr., W, Sandy, UT/The Waterford School), and Gavin Rippere (Sr., F, Salinas, CA/Salinas HS/Clark College).
Boydell led Willamette in scoring during the win over L&C, as he finished with 15 points and connected on 3 of 5 three-point attempts. Boydell concluded his career with 1,389 points, good for ninth on Willamette's all-time list. He holds the Bearcats' career record for made 3-pointers with 182 in his 100 games played for Willamette.
Frank was close behind Boydell on the scoreboard, as his game-winning shot gave him 14 points on the night. Frank also supplied his teammates with four assists and two steals. He led Willamette in scoring this season with 16.1 points per game.
Hsiung scored 13 points and was 5 for 9 on field goals. He also registered five rebounds, two assists, and two steals. Kahiau Bruhn (So., W, Waimanalo, HI/Kamehameha Schools-Kapalama) added 11 points for Willamette.
Rippere, Bruhn, and D'Ante Dean (Jr., F, Nassau, Bahamas/British Columbia Christian Acad./Peninsula College) each grabbed six rebounds to help the Bearcats claim a 39-35 rebounding edge. Dean also provided eight points. Caleb Moore (So., G, Wadley, GA/Washington County HS/Bard College) was credited with six assists and two steals.
Mikey Medlock Jr. paced the Pioneers with 18 points, including three 3-point baskets. He also grabbed five rebounds. Nikko Echalas contributed 16 points. Isaac Ticeson and Sebastian DePrez each locked onto six rebounds, with DePrez also achieving four assists.
Willamette held the lead for 31:59 while L&C had the lead for just 2:40, but the game was a close battle throughout. There were eight ties and six lead changes.
Neither team was in front by more than three points in the first five minutes, but a 3-pointer by Frank gave WU an 18-14 lead with 14:22 left in the half. Bruhn added a 3-pointer and Rippere tacked on a floating jumper to increase the margin to 23-14. The Bearcats were unable to extend the lead into double digits, and the Pioneers eventually moved within three points at 34-31 with 7:28 on the clock.
A bit later, L&C went on an 8-0 surge to equalize the score at 44-44 with 2:17 remaining. The run ended with 3-pointers by Kody Uyesugi and Medlock Jr. The score did not change again until Gavin Weisweaver (Jr., G, Boise, ID/Vallivue HS/Treasure Valley CC) of WU sank a step-back jumper with 39 seconds left to give the Bearcats a 46-44 lead at the break.
As in the first half, the second half began with neither team creating an early run. This time it was L&C that gained the first four-point margin when Echalas scored on a 3-pointer for a 57-53 lead at the 14:45 mark. After Echalas' basket, Willamette posted nine unanswered points to grab a 62-47 lead with 12:26 to play. Frank began the offensive surge with a 3-pointer and Weisweaver completed the run with a dunk following a Lewis & Clark turnover.
The Pioneers tallied the next five points for a 62-62 tie. WU swung out to a 67-62 lead with 9:28 on the clock, following a pull-up jumper from Frank and a 3-pointer by Hsiung. WU led by five points three more times over the next few minutes, including 75-70 on a layup by Boydell with 5:28 remaining.
Willamette owned a 76-72 margin after Moore hit 1 of 2 free throws with 3:08 left. L&C pulled within two points on a jumper by Henderson at the 1:08 mark and tied the score with 30 seconds to go on a layup by DePrez. WU called timeout and kept possession until Frank drove toward the hoop in the closing seconds. Frank pulled up and hit the game-winner.
