Symes sets pace for Whits
Ryan Symes is powering the Whitworth men’s basketball team just as it was anticipated before the season began.
The welcomed news is that the Pirates are getting complementary efforts elsewhere.
Symes paced Whitworth with 17 points and 10 rebounds, and Colin Willemsen and David Riley chipped in with 17 and 15 points, respectively, in the Pirates’ 61-44 victory over NWC foe Pacific at the Whitworth Fieldhouse.
Symes made just 1 of 12 shots in a narrow victory last weekend at Willamette, but he followed Friday night’s 17-point effort with a solid performance against an overmatched Pacific team. Symes, whom Pirate coach Jim Hayford said is a potential All-American candidate, showcased his myriad low-post moves, a proficient jumper out to the 3-point line and leaping ability unsurpassed in the conference.
“This weekend was a good weekend for him,” Hayford said. “We’ve been on the road for a long, long time. Ryan’s been away from Spokane for 20 days. He just needed to get back in the gym and get better.”
Symes scored five points in a critical 10-0 spurt that gave Whitworth (9-3, 3-1 NWC) a 21-9 lead with 9 ½ minutes remaining in the first half. The Boxers (3-10, 1-3) never recovered and were unable to trim their deficit to fewer than eight the rest of the way.
Symes was impressed with his team’s defense. One night after holding Lewis & Clark to 16 first-half points, Whitworth limited Pacific to only 18.
“On defense we’re realizing our limitations and playing to our strengths and helping each other,” Symes said. “And we’ve been playing a lot of defense in practice.”
Whitworth nearly doubled the Boxers’ rebounding output with a 45-24 advantage. Willemsen grabbed nine rebounds, and Nate Montgomery hauled down eight. The Pirates also snared 19 offensive rebounds, leading to 14 second-chance points.
Symes admitted that he was a little unsure before the season began what kind of team the Pirates would field.
“It’s not that I lacked confidence in the team, I just wasn’t sure what we were gonna have,” Symes said. “Now we’re meshing well and playing well, and we’re figuring out each other’s games.”
Joe Van Domelen paced Pacific with 17 points.
•Matthew Dorr buried nine of his 11 shots from 3-point range and finished with a game-high 29 points to lead the CC Spokane Sasquatch (16-1, 3-0) to an 86-59 victory over the visiting Yakima Valley Yaks (12-5, 0-3) in NWAACC play.
Jordan Gregg chipped in 11 points and a team-high eight rebounds for the Sasquatch, who led 43-19 at halftime.
•Miilah Kombat scored 18 and reserve David Johnson added 11 points and 12 rebounds to propel the North Idaho Cardinals (15-2, 1-1) to an 85-54 win over the visiting Colorado Northwestern Spartans (2-10, 0-2) in SWAC play.