Kyle Motta (Jr., Fish Haven, Idaho) proved to be the hero for the second straight night, breaking a 61-61 tie with a hard lay-in and subsequent free throw with 2:02 remaining that sealed Pacific’s second straight victory and boosted their record to 3-1.
Branden Kawazoe (Sr., Hilo, Hawaii) led Pacific with 16 points on a night that saw the Boxers shoot 46 percent (25-54) from the field and 41 percent (7-17) from the three-point line. Kawazoe also netted five rebounds, three assists and two steals. Ryan Turcott (So., Helena, Mont.) finished with 15 points and four assists while Motta had 10 points, four assists, two steals and a block. Ross Bartlett (Fr., St. Helens, Ore.) led Pacific on the boards with 12.
Joshua Garrett led Cascade (2-6) with 21 points, but once found himself cold in the waning minutes as he missed the potential game tying three-pointer with six seconds left. Jin Voeks finished with 16, while players finished with four rebounds each.
The Boxers made strong shooting and tough defense stand up in the first half, holding the Thunderbirds to just 31 percent from the field. Kawazoe opened up a 10-point lead, 20-10, with 9:19 remaining, but Cascade responded with 19-8 run over the next eight minutes and took the lead on Paul Hamilton’s free throws with 52 seconds to go. Turcott turned the lead back to Pacific, cashing in a lay-up with six seconds left for a 30-29 halftime lead.
Pacific built a 10-point lead again in the second half, this time on Ryan Eoff’s (Fr., Portland, Ore.) three-pointer with 13:09 left. Cascade hustled their way back, though, riding three straight three-pointers to come within 47-46 at the 10:04 mark.
Kawazoe’s three-pointer stretched the Pacific lead back to six with 3:57 left, but two Garrett free throws and a three-pointer tied the game 61-61. That set the scene for Motta, who charged hard from the left side for the lay-in and making the three-point play. Cascade missed three open opportunities from the field in the final two minutes, including Garrett’s missed three from the top of the arch that just came off the rim.
Pacific will now turn its focus to the first two games of the Northwest Conference season, opening with Pacific Lutheran on Friday and defending champion Puget Sound on Saturday. Cascade will open their Cascade Conference season Friday at Evergreen State.