Arrow-right Camera
The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Men’s basketball roundup: Top-ranked Pirates pull ahead late, remain unbeaten

George Valle poured in 28 points and top-ranked Whitworth ended the game on a 15-6 run and beat Lewis & Clark 89-80 in a Northwest Conference game Saturday in Portland.

Valle made 11 of 17 shots, including 3 of 5 3-pointers, and Kenny Love added 19 points and five rebounds. Drew Sears chipped in 13 points, 10 rebounds and six blocks.

The Pirates improved to 19-0 overall and 10-0 in conference games.

Markel Leonard, Cannen Roberson and Alex Jones all scored 16 points for the Pioneers (7-11, 3-7).

Whitworth plays Whitman in Walla Walla on Tuesday before starting a three-game homestand.

Big Bend 96, CC Spokane 87: Ryker Pierce had 24 points and six rebounds and the Vikings (17-6, 7-0) built a 17-point lead in the first half and held on to beat the Sasquatch (20-3, 6-1) at Spokane Falls Community College.

The win was Big Bend’s eighth straight and it gave the Vikings sole possession of first place in the Northwest Athletic Conference East division.

Big Bend made eight first-half 3-pointers and won the rebounding battle 45-26, which led to a 15-4 advantage in second-chance points.

Levi Taylor scored 23 points and Jake Love chipped in 19 for CCS, which had its seven-game win streak snapped.

The teams play again Feb. 27 in Moses Lake.