Mens Basketball: Concordia 72, George Fox 58

Balanced Cavs build big lead to beat Bruins.

Salem-News.com Sports

NEWBERG, Ore. - NEWBERG, Ore. - With four players scoring in double figures and another just missing with nine points, the balanced Concordia University-Portland Cavaliers established a big first-half lead and spoiled the home opener for the George Fox University Bruins with a 72-58 men’s basketball win Saturday night here at the Wheeler Sports Center’s Miller Gym.

Concordia took an early 4-0 lead on baskets by Steven Vaughn and Sergio Rosario, but the Bruins rallied to take their only lead of the game at 7-6 just over four minutes into the game. Chico (Calif.) College transfer Jack Martin did all the damage for the Bruins, canning two jumpers and a three-pointer. The Cavaliers regained the lead with a 7-0 run, sparked by two buckets and a free throw from Matt Ochs, and never trailed again.

George Fox stayed close for a few minutes and snuck within three points at 18-15 on a layup by Grant Vahalla with ten minutes left in the period, but then the Cavs exploded for a 16-2 spurt to double the score at 34-17 with 5:24 to go. Dustin Hiebert, who came off the bench to sink a trio of treys for nine first-half points, hit the three that capped the run, then hit another to give the Cavs their largest lead of the half at 37-19 with 4:22 remaining. Martin hit another three to pull the Bruins within 12 at 38-26 at the break.

The second half was mainly a matter of Concordia maintaining the status quo as the Cavaliers kept a double-digit lead throughout the final 20 minutes. Their largest margin was 23 points when Hiebert hit his fourth three of the game to make it 55-32 at the 12:37 mark. The Bruins managed to creep back within 10 points when Martin sank a pair of free throws to cut it to 61-51 with 4:39 left, but the Cavs responded with a three by Rosario and a jumper by Vaughan, effectively sealing the victory.

Martin finished with a game-high 17 points, the only Bruin in double figures, though Evan Atwater just missed with nine. The Bruins struggled from the floor, however, hitting only 21-61 for 34.4%. Travis Toedtemeier and Bryan O’Connell each had a game-high nine rebounds as George Fox owned a 44-36 advantage on the boards. Joe Ahn passed out five assists.

Rosario paced the Cavaliers with 14 points, Vaughan and Hiebert added 12 each, Ochs had 10, and Desmond Meray chipped in with nine. Vaughan had a team-leading seven rebounds, and Jeffrey Sego handed out five assists. Ochs had four steals as the Cavs forced 17 Bruin turnovers while committing only 10 themselves.

George Fox (0-3) now heads for Hawai’i during the Thanksgiving break to play in the Surf’s Up Invitational at Kalani High School in Honolulu. The Bruins meet California Lutheran University on Friday at 3:00 PM Pacific time (1:00 in Hawai’i) and Whittier College on Saturday at 5:00 PM Pacific time (3:00 in Hawai’i). Concordia (3-1) visits Linfield College Tuesday at 7:30 PM.

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