Complete box score

FOREST GROVE, Ore. – A balanced team effort helped visiting Whitworth complete an important weekend road sweep with a hard-fought 83-74 win over Pacific on Saturday evening at the Pacific Athletic Center.

Clay Gebbers

Six different Pirates (15-4 overall, 7-3 NWC) reached double figures in scoring as the team shot 64% from the field. That offensive efficiency helped Whitworth overcome the Boxers' advantage on the boards. The Pirates were outrebounded for only the fourth time this season (29-21) and Pacific (8-10, 3-7) had a 12-3 edge in offensive rebounds.

Ross Nakamura (Sr., G, Moraga, Calif.) led Whitworth with 16 points and five assists. Clay Gebbers (So., G, Brewster, Wash.) added a career-high 15 points, 12 in the decisive first half. David Riley (So., G, Palo Alto, Calif.) was 5 of 5 from the field for his 14 points, while Tim Sellereit (Sr., G, Bellingham, Wash.) came off of the bench for 13 points and a team-high six rebounds.

The Pirates' post combination played well also. Nate Montgomery (Jr., P, Sammamish, Wash.) finished with 12 points and hit some key free throws in the final minute. Calvin Jurich (Sr., P, Spokane, Wash.) had 11 points and four boards.

Marcus Kienlen nailed a three-pointer mid-way through the first half to give Pacific a 21-17 lead, the Boxers' largest lead of the game. But then Gebbers sparked a 17-5 Pirate run for a 34-26 Whitworth lead. It would ultimately be the decisive run of the game. The Bucs went to halftime with a 40-32 advantage.

Nakamura completed a strong start to the second half for Whitworth with a three-pointer that gave the Bucs a 51-39 lead. Jonathan Jury hit a pair of free throws with under eight minutes left in the game to cut Whitworth's lead in half (65-59). The lead was still only six with less than three minutes left when Nakamura hit a pull-up jumper, then Whitworth made 7 of 9 free throws in the final two minutes to seal the win. Montgomery was 5 of 5 from the line and scored seven of his points during that stretch.

Ross Bartlet had 16 points and nine rebounds for Pacific, while Gerald Howe added 13 points and four rebounds.

After sweeping the season series with Pacific and George Fox in this road trip, Whitworth will return home to host Willamette next Friday at 8:00 p.m. in the Fieldhouse.