AZUSA, CA – Establishing a lead thanks to 50 percent shooting from the field in the opening half, Menlo Men's Basketball made Tuesday's Pacific West Conference debut against Azusa Pacific a memorable one, leading for the final 33 minutes en route to a 71-63 inside Felix Event Center.

"I am very proud of my team tonight," said Head Coach Jamison Montgomery. "We executed the game plan. We showed grit, toughness, next-play mentality, and being together. Excited for these young men to start off conference play the right way."

Oaks Highlights
-Making nine of his 14 shots, Nick High led the way with 18 points
-JaMaal Unuakhalu collected seven defensive rebounds, drew five fouls, and blocked two shots
-Unuakhalu added 17 points and tied Luke Wieskamp for the team's rebounding high with seven boards
-Jamison "JD" Beesley came off the bench to deal out a game-high four assists

Menlo Scores Season-Best 44 Points In The Paint
Thrilling plays for the Oaks came mere minutes into the game as senior forward JaMaal Unuakhalu knocked down a 3-pointer to initiate a 7-1 run that featured back-to-back dunks from junior guard Marvin Brumfield and sophomore guard Jonathan Moxie. Soon an 8-2 push with plenty of high-percentage scores elevated Menlo to a 17-11 margin and a triple from junior guard Max Sheridan kept his team's foot on the gas.

Senior forward Nick High had a pair of layups during a 6-0 burst that made it a double-digit advantage for the Oaks, sophomore guard Quentin Thompson provided a 3-pointer to extend the lead to 12, and the half ended on an emphatic note with freshman guard Jamison "JD" Beesley leading the fast break to Unuakhalu's dunk for the 35-23 halftime score.

Though APU made several attempts to get back in the contest in the second half, Menlo continued to have answers. Four quick points by Sheridan midway through helped him score a season-best nine on the night while senior forward Nick High remained aggressive on the offensive end. Scores by Unuakhalu and freshman forward Luke Wieskamp on consecutive possessions down the stretch were key and, in the end, free throws by Unuakhalu combined with a clutch turnaround fadeaway jumper by High to seal the 71-63 triumph, a first for Coach Montgomery since rejoining the program.

Up Next
Menlo and Vanguard are on a collision course this Thursday, Dec. 4 with tip-off set for 7:30 p.m. in Costa Mesa.