News Release Date:
Friday, November 20

WALLA WALLA, Wash. -- William Jessup University, winning for the first time in six tries this season, sqeezed past Lewis & Clark College 84-80 in overtime in Friday's opening game of the Walla Walla Vineyard Inn/Bon Appetit Classic on George Ball Court in Sherwood Center.

William Jessup, an NAIA school from Rocklin, Calif., took the lead for good at 80-78 on an Eleazar Jones clutch 3-pointer in the final minute of overtime. The Warriors added four free throws in the closing seconds to lock up the win. The two sides were tied at 71 at the end of regulation.

Jones had a team-high 19 points for William Jessup, which hit 15 of 25 3-pointers as a team. Tevin Hurd added 17 points for the Warriors, who also got 12 points apiece from Kadeem Kirsten and Austin Nelson.

Lewis & Clark, one of Whitman's Northwest Conference (NCAA Div. III) rivals, dropped to 0-2 on the season. James Hollins, a one-man attack for the Pioneers, finished with 45 points and 14 rebounds. 

Lewis & Clark also got 11 points from Scott Pisapia, 10 points and 11 rebounds from Clifton Avery, and 10 points from Danny Lockard.

The Pioneers, who made sparing use of just two reserves, are short-handed this weekend and won't have their full roster back until next week. 

The four-team, two-day tournament continues at 8 p.m. when host Whitman plays Portland Bible College.

The men's tournament is taking place in conjunction with the Kim Evanger Raney Memorial Classic, a four-team tourney featuring host Whitman along with Whitworth University, Lewis-Clark State and Macalester College (St. Paul, Minn.).

Box score

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CONTACT: Dave Holden
Sports Information Director
Whitman College, Walla Walla, Wash.
holden@whitman.edu; holden@whitman.edu