The Trail

Issue date: 2/16/07 Section: Sports

Media Credit: Matt Loewen Guard Taylor Marsh drives to on Whitworth. Marsh had 17 points in UPS' comback win, but the team lost a shocker to Whitman.

The Logger basketball team went 1-1 this past weekend with a victory over conference rivals, Whitworth, 95-90 and a loss to the Whitman.

For the Loggers Basketball team, this past weekend was characterized by the extremes. Friday night was a mad house as hyped up students flooded Memorial Field house in what would be one of the most exciting games of the season. Prior to the game I asked students what they expected the outcome of the game to be.

"UPS is going to win by at least 10," self proclaimed "number one fan" of the UPS basketball team, Jon Beem said. "I whole-heartedly support this team and have been to almost every home game. I love the games. The team is absolutely amazing."

Other fans chimed in too.

"I expect no less than a UPS romp on our home court. We expect the best when we play at home," Sam Kusins-Shoptaw said, one of the team's most involved fans. "The wins that the Loggers accumulate at home have a lot to do with the fans and the atmosphere that we, the fans, bring to the game. There is no doubt that we are going to win this game."

The team found themselves down 12 points with five minutes left, but chipped away at the lead and cut it to two with 53 seconds remaining. On a key sequence, sophomore Jason Foster blocked the shot of Whitworth's Jon Young and then came down and sank a three to put the Loggers up one.

"Whitworth is the other best team in our conference but, we don't lose our hope," Foster said. "It is our court, we love playing against them because it is a challenge, and we knew it was going to be hard."

Whitworth's Young then sank two freethrows to give the Pirates the lead, but Antwan Williams took the ball to the hoop and was fouled, sinking one freethrow to tie.

After pushing the game into overtime the Loggers slammed the door behind them as they blew out Whitworth in the games final minutes. Key performances by Taylor Marsh, Foster and Williams abated the Pirates morale and accelerated the Loggers to a glorious victory.

"The last five minutes we brought it," Weston Wood said. "We've been doing it all season. It just shows us that we have the will to win."

The coaching staff was impressed with the effort.
"We grew up a lot tonight," assistant coach R.J. Barsh said. "We stepped up when we needed to step up. Big players made big plays and we played to our abilities."

The weekend was like left -overs. They are really tasty when they are fresh but spoil if they are not refrigerated. I guess the team just didn't ice enough after the win because they were upset by the second worst team in the conference on the following night.

Despite the loss of momentum, The Loggers still have a shot at the NCAA tournament if they win out and get some help from other NWC foes.

• Mike Jones, who? Mike Jones, who? MIKE JONES!

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