Senior guard Josh Ware and sophomore guard Matt LeDuc each scored 17 points to lead Westmont Men’s Basketball (7-4) to an 80-72 win over the Bulldogs of Concordia of Nebraska (7-7) on Monday at Murchison Gymnasium. The Warriors never relinquished the lead after junior Nasa Sete scored 30 seconds into the game.

Sete added two free throws and Ware and freshman forward Dan Rasp each scored on two jumpers as the Warriors jumped out to a 12-2 lead just over five and one-half minutes into the game.

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Sophomore post Alisha Heglund recorded 17 points and seven rebounds as Westmont Women’s Basketball (8-2) defeated the Thunderbirds of British Columbia (17-4) on Monday in Murchison Gymnasium.

With just over two minutes to go in the first half, the Thunderbirds posted a nine-point lead (38-29) on a jumper by junior forward Leanne Evans (11 points, 5 rebounds). That was the last time a British Columbia forward scored in the game. The Warriors employed a stingy defense to close down the inside passing lanes allowing the Thunderbirds just 17 points over the next 22 minutes of play.

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Sophomore guards Amber Stevens and Jessica Case each scored 11 points as Westmont Women’s Basketball (7-2) defeated the Wildcats of Daemen (N.Y.) 72-65 on Saturday in Irvine. Four Wildcats scored more than any single Warrior, but ten members of the Westmont squad added to the scoreboard compared to only five of the Daemen players.

The game also marked the return of junior All-American Ali Mooty who scored nine points and had five rebounds in 12 minutes of play.

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Westmont men’s basketball (6-4) defeated Puget Sound (Wash.) by a score of 78-75 on Saturday night at Murchison Gymnasium in the championship game of the 32nd Annual Tom Byron Classic. The win marks the eighteenth time the Warriors have claimed the Byron title and the first since December of 2004.

Westmont freshman forward Dan Rasp was named the tournament MVP after leading the Warriors with 20 points, including a ten-for-ten performance from the free throw line. Westmont senior guard Josh Ware also was named to the all-tournament team along with Puget Sounds’ Antwan Williams and Robert Krauel. Chris DeMarco of Edgewood (Wis.) and Tammer Farid of Baruch (N.Y.) also received the honor.

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Freshman forward Dan Rasp led the Warriors with 17 points and junior guard Colin Hofer added another 14 as Westmont Men’s Basketball (5-4) advanced to the championship game of the Tom Byron Classic by virtue of a 57-55 thriller at Murchison Gymnasium on Friday evening over Baruch (4-6) of New York.

“Colin had a very nice game,” said head coach John Moore. “I am most proud of his eight rebounds. That’s a real sign of where he has come to.”

The Warriors will take on Puget Sound (7-0) of Washington in Saturday night’s championship game at 7:30 p.m. Puget Sound defeated Edgewood (3-6) of Wisconsin by a score of 93-80 in the Byron opener. Edgewood and Baruch will face off in Saturday’s consolation game at 5:30 p.m.

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Ryan Jorden, the long-time assistant men’s soccer coach at Westmont, has been named the new head coach at California Baptist. Jorden will begin his new duties at the Riverside campus on January 2.

“I am super excited for Ryan,” said athletic director and head men’s soccer coach Dave Wolf. “It’s a great opportunity and without a doubt he is ready to be a head coach. It’s bittersweet because we have been together for eight years and he has done an incredible job here. If we thought the conference was tough last year, wait until we add him to the coaching ranks.”

In a game dominated by post players, sophomore Alisha Heglund (6-1) recorded a double-double to lead Westmont Women’s Basketball (6-2) to a 55-48 win over Montana State-Northern (10-4) at Murchison Gymnasium on Wednesday evening in the final game of the Westmont Invitational. Heglund recorded 22 points and 14 rebounds and also posted a school record five blocks.

The Skylights featured two six-foot three-inch forwards in Stacie Barker and Ashley Trulock. Barker, who leads the NAIA with an average of six blocks per game, recorded nine shot-stoppers against the Warriors, but she was held to nine points and ten rebounds.

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Sophomore point guard Amber Stevens made ten of 13 attempts from the floor and recorded 21 points as Westmont women’s basketball defeated Taylor (Ind.) by a score of 62-51 in the second game of the Westmont Invitational on Tuesday evening at Murchison Gymnasium. Stevens also recorded five rebounds and three assists.

“I struggled in our last game and just wanted to step up and be there for my team,” said Stevens after the game. “I was able to get a rhythm from the beginning which allowed me to keep going with my teammates support. Everyone played well. We weren’t individuals; we bought into playing ‘one up’ (the Warriors’ motto this season) and playing as a team.”

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