Ordonez Posts Career-High, Garnet Fall in California
WHITTIER, Calif. -- Swarthmore senior Raul Ordonez posted a career-high 23 points as the Garnet began the second semester slate in southern California at the Purple and Gold Classic on the campus of Whittier College. Chapman handed Swarthmore a rude welcome to the West Coast, cruising to their seventh straight victory, 88-59 on Saturday evening in the Graham Athletic Center.
The Garnet dip to 1-6 overall this season and will face host Whittier on Sunday, January 4 in the final day of competition at the 26th annual event. Tip-off is scheduled for 8:00 p.m. (Pacific Coast Time).
Champman (10-2), a team that boasts a victory over the Afghanistan national team in mid-November, shot a blistering 63.5% from the field on Saturday evening. The Panthers were led by junior Jared Kaiser (12 points and eight rebounds), while guard Griffin Ramme (11 points) and forward Takeshi Clifford (10 points) also posted double figures.
Ordonez (Miami, Fla. / Belen Jesuit) hit nine of his 13 field goal attempts and went 4-of-6 from the free-throw line on the way to game-high honors for scoring. The southpaw senior captain tallied 19 of his points in the second half alone, including a two-and-a-half-minute flurry where he dropped in 11 on a variety of plays. Ordonez has now scored in double figures for five consecutive games and leads the team in points (12.1 per game) and rebounds (7.0).
Swarthmore returns to the East Coast early next week, with a pair of crucial Centennial contests looming. The Garnet will travel to undefeated Franklin & Marshall on Wednesday, January 7 before returning to Tarble Pavilion on Saturday, January 10 for a doubleheader with Dickinson. The Swarthmore women take the court at 2:00 p.m. with the men’s contest to follow at approximately 4:00 p.m.
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