Posted by
Gabriel Wallis
-
Fri, Mar 14, 2008
- [
Men's Basketball
] - Viewed 94 times
William Walker Leads Pilots With 25 Points
Point Lookout, Mo. - Ninth-seed
Bethel (Ind.) opened the second round with a 86-81 victory over Ottawa
(Kan.) at the 2008 NAIA Division II Men's Basketball National
Championship. The 17th-annual event is being held at the Keeter Gymnasium on the campus of the College of the Ozarks (Mo.).
Bethel
surged ahead in the first half courtesy of a 15-2 run and led by 12 at
intermission, 49-37. The Pilots shot 58% in the first half, 56% from
the three point line. David Birch kept Ottawa in the game with 18
points in the opening half.
Trailing by 14, Ottawa battled back
to cut the Bethel lead down to five with eight minutes to go. The
Pilots, however, were able to hold off Ottawa and advance to the second
round.
The Pilots were led by junior William Walker who scored
in double figures for the second straight game with 25 points. He made
11-of-19 field goal attempts and also pulled down a team-high nine
rebounds. Ryne Lightfoot and Tyler Brown were also in double figures
with 18 and 17 points, respectively.
Ottawa
was led by David Birch with a game-high 28 points. The KCAC
Player-of-the-Year went 8-of-15 from the floor and scored 42 points in
the two tournament games. Clint Brightman recorded a double-double with
14 points and 10 rebounds. The Braves, making their fourth tournament
appearance, finish the season with a 24-9 overall record
Bethel,
in their seventh national tournament but first since1999, advances to
the Elite Eight. They will play either top-seed Bellevue (Neb.) or #16
Aquinas (Mich.) in the first game on Saturday at 2:00 pm eastern. The 32-team,
single elimination tournament concludes Tuesday, March 18.
Box Score