Undermanned Eastern routs Pacific

Sun., Nov. 4, 2007

By Steve Bergum steveb@spokesman.com

Eastern Washington University’s short-handed men’s basketball team used a balanced scoring attack and sustained defensive pressure to breeze past Pacific University 91-49 in a men’s basketball exhibition at Reese Court on Saturday night.

Freshman guard Trey Gross scored 25 points, junior Milan Stanojevic added 18 and three others finished in double figures as the Eagles opened the Kirk Earlywine Era in successful fashion by dominating the NCAA Division III Boxers in front of a small, but appreciative, Homecoming Weekend crowd.

Freshman forward Petar Milasinovic, who rolled an ankle during practice earlier in the week, and first-year junior transfer Adris DeLeon, who is still sorting out some eligibility issues, both missed Saturday’s game, leaving Earlywine with only seven players in uniform.

But those seven played through some obvious fatigue and left Earlywine satisfied with his team’s overall effort.

“I was pretty pleased, actually,” said the Eagles’ first-year coach. “Obviously, our guys were fatigued; they’re playing long minutes. But they’re capable of more than what their minds let them think they are sometimes, and I thought we got mentally more fatigued than physically during a couple of stretches.”

Gross, who prepped at Edison High School in Stockton, Calif., made 8 of 13 field-goal tries and was 5 for 5 from the foul line in his college debut. Stanojevic, a first-year transfer from Northwest (Wyo.) College made 4 of 9 3-point attempts and also dished out four assists.

Senior forward Kellen Williams, the sole returning starter from last season, finished with 16 points and a team-high nine rebounds as the Eagles won the rebounding battle 35-23. Senior guard Marcus Hinton scored 13 points for EWU, and sophomore center Brandon Moore added 10.

The Eagles open regular-season play on Friday at Washington State, and Earlywine said there is a slight chance Milasinovic could be ready to play. In addition, he said he hopes to hear from the NCAA on DeLeon’s eligibility status by Friday.

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Undermanned Eastern routs Pacific

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