Box Score | Coach Cleary's Postgame Comments (Video)
FOREST GROVE – David Berney (Jr., Eugene, Ore.) was inadvertently left out of the game program in his Pacific debut, but he certainly will not be forgotten again.
The transfer led the way with a game-high 27 points Tuesday, leading Pacific to a 70-54 victory over Evergreen in the Boxers' men's basketball season opener at the Stoller Center.
Berney scored 16 of his 27 points in the second half, connecting on 10 of 15 from the field and 5 of 8 from three-point range. He led a great shooting effort for the Boxers, who shot 54.9 percent from the field (28-51) and 46.2 percent from three-point range (6-13).
"David has a chance to be a marquee player in the conference if he continues to improve," said Pacific Head Men's Basketball Coach Tim Cleary. "All of his shots and all of his makes were right in the flow of the offense. He didn't force anything. He got open looks and he was able to knock them down."
Charles Mosley (Jr., Hillsboro, Ore.) was big on both ends of the floor, finishing with a double-double of 17 points and 11 rebounds in 36 minutes of action. Colin Wester (Jr., Sherwood, Ore.) connected for 13 points on 5 of 6 from the floor to go along with five steals, while Andrew Beatty (Sr., Lynnwood, Wash.) finished with six assists.
Cleary was happy with the effort of the entire team, especially in a first half where the Geoducks controlled the pace of play. "Through the first half it was kind of a grind. Our guys stuck with the game plan and sure enough in the second half we were able to pull away. Through execution and teamwork we came out on the positive side."
Patrick Lewis led three Evergreen State (0-3) players in double figures with 16 points, connecting on 6 of 8 from the field. Mike DeRosier added 11 points and Marice Tolliver scored 10. Lewis and Tolliver shared top rebounding honors with eight boards apiece. The Geoducks shot 35.1 percent from the field (20-57) and 6 of 28 from the arch. Pacific out-rebounded the Geoducks 35-32.
Pacific held the lead through the first 10 minutes of the half, opening up a 6-2 advantage early on a Mosley lay-in. The Geoducks used outside shooting to hold tight, going on a 7-0 to take an 18-14 advantage on Lewis' lay-up at the 9:57 mark.
Pacific came back to tie it at 18-18 with 6:57 left on another Mosley lay-in, only to watch the Geoducks go on another 7-0 run over the next three minutes. A three-pointer by Wagner and back-to-back jumpers from DeRosier and Tolliver gave the Geoducks their largest lead of the game, 25-18, with 3:41 left. Berney responded with back-to-back threes to bring the Boxers back within one, and two late free throws from Lewis sent the Geoducks into the half with a 27-24 lead.
Wester opened the half with his lone three of the game and the Boxers would not trail again, going 18 of 27 in the final 20 minutes. The game was tied at 34-34 at the 16:31 mark when Wester scored six unanswered points, putting Pacific on top 40-34. The Geoducks came back to within on when Lewis' lay-in made it a 42-41 game with 12:51 to go, but another Berney three allowed the Boxers to stay up at 49-43 with 10:13 left.
Evergreen State had cut the lead back to five, 52-47, with 7:09 to go when the Boxers went on a 16-0 run over the next four minutes to effectively close out the game. Mosley had seven points to key the run, which ended on Wester's breakaway lay-in with 1:53 to go that opened up the 68-48 Pacific lead.
The Boxers will take the next week off, returning to the floor next Tuesday as they host Northwest Christian. Evergreen State is back in action on Friday, taking on Walla Walla in the Golden Rule Shootout in Nampa, Idaho.