Whitworth junior post scores career-best 27
Even the best 3-point shooting teams have to pound the ball inside for tough points.
A night after posting 17 3-pointers, that’s just what Whitworth had to do.
The NCAA Division III fourth-ranked Whitworth Pirates got a career-high 27 points from center Felix Friedt and defeated the Puget Sound Loggers 72-65 at the Whitworth Fieldhouse Saturday night.
With the win the Pirates (13-0, 4-0 Northwest Conference) tied a school record for best start to a men’s basketball season. Whitworth goes on the road Friday at George Fox and Saturday at Willamette.
Puget Sound had no answer for the 6-foot-8 junior center listed at 242 pounds, though he claims he’s currently 235.
Friedt scored four consecutive baskets early to establish his presence inside. In the second half he reeled off five straight to keep a spirited Loggers team in the rearview mirror – though just barely.
Puget Sound never came closer than a four-point second-half deficit (47-43), but the Loggers kept battling to the end. After going to a full-court press late, Puget Sound’s Aaron Edwards scored a layup off a steal to trim the Pirates’ lead to 66-61 with 1:24 remaining. The Pirates came right back, beat the Loggers’ press, and Friedt made a layup to put the lead back to seven.
Friedt shot 58 percent from the floor. His teammates combined to shoot 30 percent.
When told he shot 11 for 19 from the floor, Friedt grinned and said, “I should have made more.”
Whitworth coach Jim Hayford attributed some of the Pirates’ shooting woes to early foul trouble for some of his players, believing it took them out of their normal comfort zone.
Hayford had high praise for a Loggers team that suffered a 10-point loss to Whitman on the road Friday night.
“They came in here believing they could win and they showed that,” Hayford said. “But obviously, the big difference was Felix. They didn’t have an answer for him.”
Whitworth led 36-29 at halftime, and both teams were practically even in every statistical category except for at the free-throw line. The Pirates were 11 for 16 at the line and the Loggers went 3 for 6.
In the second half, Puget Sound’s Edric Egberuare fueled a 9-0 run that cut the deficit to 47-43. The Loggers never got closer.
Whitworth 72, Puget Sound 65
Whitworth (13-0 4-0)—Riley 1-5 1-2 3, Friedt 11-19 5-7 27, Mik.Taylor 6-13 7-8 21, W. Gebbers 2-8 4-4, C. Gebbers 0-1 3-6 3, Ramey 0-0 4-4 4, McCarger 0-0 0-0 0, Loofburrow 1-6 1-2 4, Larkin 0-0 1-2 1. Totals 21-52 26-35 72 .
Puget Sound (5-8 2-2)— Edwards 3-9 0-0 8, Shelton 4-10 4-7 13, Borboa 3-3 0-0 6, Rogers 1-4 0-0 3, Egberuare 5-13 4-4 15, Gittens 2-3 0-3 4, Geverola 2-4 0-0 4, Harrison 0-1 0-0 0, Hoff 2-7 0-0 6, Gauff 0-1 0-0 0, Yarbro 2-5 0-0 4. Totals 25-62 8-14 62.
Halftime—Whitworth 36-29. 3-Point Goals— Whitworth 4-15 (Riley 0-1, Mik.Taylor 2-4, W.Gebbers 1-5, Loofburrow 1-5). Puget Sound 7-29 (Edwards 2-5, Shelton 1-4, Rogers 1-4, Egberuare 1-5, Geverola 0-1, Colbert 0-1, Harrison 0-1, Hoff 2-7, Gauff 0-1). Fouled Out—Gittens, Riley, C.Gebbers. Rebounds— Whitworth 37 (Friedt 8), Puget Sound 40 (Gittens 5). Assists—Whitworth 7 (W.Gebbers 4), Puget Sound 10 (Shelton 4). Total Fouls—Whitworth 19, Puget Sound 27. Technical—None.