Watts Hits 7 of 9 Field Goals, Scores 20 Points, in Exhibition Game at Bushnell
By Robert McKinney, Assistant Athletics Director, Communications, (503) 370-6110
EUGENE, Ore. -- Jonathan Watts (Sr., W, San Diego, CA/Rancho Bernardo HS) scored 20 points for Willamette University while hitting 7 of 9 field goals, including 4 of 5 on 3-point shots, in an exhibition men's basketball game against Bushnell University on Saturday, Nov. 5. The Beacons defeated the Bearcats 121-76 after building a 64-29 halftime lead. Bushnell outscored Willamette by a much closer margin of 57-47 in the second half. The game counted for the Beacons, who are 2-0 on the season.
The Bearcats will open the regular season at Cone Field House on the Willamette campus on Friday, Nov. 11 against Portland Bible College. Tipoff is scheduled for 8 p.m. (PST).
Watts was one of three Bearcats in double figures for scoring against the Beacons. Paul McSlarrow (Jr., W, Sandy, UT/The Waterford School) tallied 16 points and was 6 for 10 from the field. Jack Boydell (Sr., F, Sonoma, CA/Sonoma Valley HS) produced 14 points. Terry Sherman (So., F, Lake Charles, LA/St. Louis Catholic HS) followed with nine points. Boydell and Sherman each connected on three 3-point baskets.
Alexis Angeles topped Bushnell with a game-high 22 points and was 9 for 12 on field goals. Stevie Schlabach tacked on 18 points with 8-for-11 shooting, while Luke Smith scored 16 points and led the Beacons with a trio of 3-pointers. Trevon Richmond contributed 12 points.
The Beacons gained a 55-39 rebounding margin, led by Spencer Hoffman with nine boards. Watts was Willamette's leading rebounder with seven boards. Mitch Lind (Fy., G, Midway, UT/Wasatch HS) of WU and Smith of BU each hauled down six rebounds.
Watts' overall performance for the Bearcats also included a team-high five assists. Meelad Doroodchi (Jr., F, Mooresville, NC/Pine Lake Preparatory) was credited with three assists. For Bushnell, Richmond accumulated eight assists, while Schlabach blocked four shots and registered three steals.
Bushnell shot 57.0% (49 of 86) from the field and hit 11 of 20 three-point shots (55.9%). The Beacons were 12 of 21 at the free throw line (57.1%). Willamette shot 35.4% overall (28 of 79), but improved from 29.0% in the first half to 41.5% in the second half. The Bearcats put through 13 of 39 shots from 3-point range (33.3%) and sank 7 of 10 free throws.
Willamette led 3-2 just 18 seconds into the game on a 3-pointer by Ryder Hsiung (So., G, Honolulu, HI/Punahou School). A bit later, the Bearcats moved in front 8-6 on a 3-pointer by Sherman. Bushnell countered with nine consecutive points to start an 18-4 run for a 24-12 lead with 12:19 remaining in the first half. WU reduced the margin to 24-15 after a 3-pointer from Watts, but couldn't get closer. The Beacons gradually pulled away over the remainder of the game, but at a much slower rate in the second half as Willamette's shooting percentage rose and Bushnell slipped from 71.4% on 3-pointers in the first half to 46.2% in the second half.