The Whitworth Pirates men’s basketball team seized the Northwest Conference Championship this past week, becoming the only team to finish league play with a perfect 17-0 record. In two decisive victories, the Pirates beat Lewis & Clark College on Thursday in the NWC semifinal, and then went on to defeat George Fox University in the league final on Saturday. The championship earns Whitworth a spot in the NCAA Division III tournament and secures their ranking as one of the top Division III teams in the country.
Thursday’s semifinal game against the Lewis & Clark Pioneers started off with aggressive play and quick scoring for both teams. The score stayed very close for the majority of the first half, with numerous lead changes. Shooting and turnovers played a major role, with several runs taking place as a result of big three pointer’s for both teams.
However, the tide turned for Whitworth when junior forward David Riley sunk a quick two to kill a turnover-fueled run by the Pioneers. Riley’s two gave Whitworth the lead with 6:30 to play in the half. The Pirates continued to capitalize on this opportunity, quickly advancing the lead to double digits with a 9-0 run. The half ended with Whitworth on an 18-2 run and a score of 42-28.
“We came out soft in the beginning on defense, but then we really picked it up,” senior post Nate Montgomery said. “We had a nice balanced attack and it was nice to get the bench in the game.”
The second half started off well for the Pirates, as they slowly extended their lead to a comfortable margin. The largest lead of the night, 78-52, came with 5:48 left to play in the half, and the Pioneers never came within 16 points of the Bucs for the rest of the game. The game ended with a final score of 89-65, easily advancing the Pirates to the NWC final.
Several Whitworth players did well in the semifinal game, most notably senior forward Bo Gregg, who led the team with 21 points. Gregg was consistent all night long, finishing with an 80 percent shooting percentage, in addition to three steals and two assists. Montgomery also had a strong night, putting up 19 points as well as 11 rebounds.
“Energy really made the difference in the Lewis & Clark game,” junior guard Clay Gebbers said. “Once we picked up our energy we took the game to a whole new level.”
The NWC Championship game against the George Fox Bruins started off in much the same fashion as the previous semifinal game, with consistent scoring on both sides of the court and several lead changes. Both teams shot well, and three pointers played a large role in the opening minutes.
“Our defense got off to a slow start, we were just trading buckets,” Montgomery said following the game. “We picked it up though, and Clay in particular was really big on defense. He had a lot of hustle plays.”
About halfway through the first half, Whitworth began to pull away and quickly had a double-digit lead, eventually stretching the lead to 21 with three minutes left to play off a three by Gebbers.
The Bucs carried their momentum and strong play into the second half, controlling the game’s tempo and limiting the scoring opportunities for the Bruins. George Fox made several small runs to bring the lead within 15 points, but never seriously contested. However, the half was still hard-fought, including an intentional foul by George Fox guard Jack Martin on Gebbers, as well as an intentional foul by Pirate sophomore forward Jack Loofburrow off an attempted Bruin alley-oop.
Outside shooting was a major factor in the high-scoring 97-75 win, featuring 17 total three-pointers by the Pirates, tying the school record, and a remarkable 55 percent shooting percentage from behind the arc.
The game featured many strong performances by Whitworth players, including five players in double-digits. Gregg once again led the team with 21 points, followed by senior guard Eric Beal with 19. Gebbers, Montgomery and freshman guard Wade Gebbers also all contributed at least 14 points apiece.
“Going inside and outside offensively really made a difference for us this game,” Gebbers said. “We were able to hit them with two different punches and that really opened up a lot of opportunities for us.”
The win secures the Pirates’ spot as the top team in the Northwest Conference and earns them an automatic bid to the NCAA Division III tournament.
“We’re playing confident right now, but we respect everyone,” Montgomery said
regarding the team’s mind set going forward. “It would be really great to have a home game but whatever team we play, wherever we go, we’ll be ready.”
The playing time and location were not available at time of press.
Contact Peter Landgren at peter.landgren@whitworthian.com.
Pirates streak past first round competition
Published: Tuesday, March 2, 2010
Updated: Tuesday, March 2, 2010
 "Photo: Marco Garcia/Whitworthian")
Marco Garcia/Whitworthian
Freshman guard Wade Gebbers dives into the crowd during Saturday's game.
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