Warner Pacific Basketball Starts Season With 69-66 Win Over LC State

Warner Pacific College Athletics † WPCKnights.com

(PORTLAND, Ore.) - Warner Pacific opened up the 2010-11 season with a hard fought 69-66 win over Lewis-Clark State last night at C.C Perry Gym.

Though the host Knights built a 10 point advantage on two occasions in the second period, the game was in doubt until a three point attempt by LCSC’s Jared Giamonna fell short at the buzzer.

The two squads battled through a ragged first half that ended with the visiting Warriors up 31-24. Neither team could find a rhythm offensively, and turnovers were frequent. LC State managed to shoot 30 percent from the floor in the first 20 minutes, while Warner Pacific mustered just a 26 percent accuracy.

Warner Pacific proved to be the aggressor in the second period, taking the lead at the 12:39 mark on a Webster Moreland free throw and never relinquishing it. Down 43-41 with 13 minutes to play, the Knights went on a 14-2 run to lead 55-45 and did not trail again.

The Warriors did not go quietly, knocking the lead down to six on a pair of free throws by David Johnson with 4:31 left. Moments later Biniam Tadele drained a long three pointer for WP to boost the Knight lead back to nine, but LC State began to apply pressure that would bring them back.

Donnie Lao made a key trey in the waning minutes to cut the Warrior deficit to 67-65, but Moreland hit two from the charity stripe to provide WP a four point cushion with 22 seconds to play.

LC’s Devon Adams was fouled on the way to the hoop with 11 ticks remaining, where he made the first and missed the second. The Warriors tracked down the rebound and found Giamonna for a game tying attempt, but his try was short.

Center Andre Davis led the Knights with 17 points in his Knight debut. Moreland and Tedele added 14 points each, and Moreland was the high rebounder with eight.

In falling to 1-1 this season, Lewis-Clark State was led by David Johnson with 18 points while Alex King had seven rebounds.