FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – October 31, 2026
Redding, Calif.| The Warner Pacific University men's basketball team continued its strong start to the 2026-27 season Saturday afternoon, defeating Lincoln University 106-97 in a high-scoring matchup at the Oxford Suites Invitational in Redding, California.
The Knights delivered an impressive offensive performance, placing three players in double figures with at least 20 points while shooting 53.6 percent from the field. The victory improved Warner Pacific's record to 2-0 on the young season.
Jevon Blackmore led the Knights with a team-high 22 points, shooting 8-of-13 from the field and 6-of-7 from the free-throw line. Blackmore also contributed five rebounds, three assists and a blocked shot.
Kayin Turner and Tyson Parker each added 20 points, giving Warner Pacific three players with at least 20 points in the contest. Turner connected on 9-of-14 field goal attempts, including two three-pointers, while Parker provided a major spark off the bench, shooting 7-of-11 from the floor and 4-of-5 from the charity stripe.
Lincoln opened the contest with an early advantage, building a 15-10 lead through the opening minutes. Warner Pacific quickly responded behind Blackmore, who converted a three-point play to cut the deficit to two.
Moments later, Andrew Gooding knocked down a three-pointer off an assist from Blackmore to give the Knights their first lead of the afternoon at 16-15. The two teams continued trading baskets throughout the opening half, with Lincoln relying on its perimeter shooting to maintain pressure on Warner Pacific.
Trailing 39-32 with just over nine minutes remaining in the first half, the Knights began building momentum behind their offensive depth. Blackmore scored on consecutive possessions before Apollo Eugene added a basket to bring Warner Pacific within two at 42-40.
Kevin Hymes then came up with a steal and converted a layup to tie the game at 42-42 with 6:35 remaining. Parker followed with back-to-back baskets to give the Knights a 46-42 advantage, helping Warner Pacific seize control of the contest.
The Knights continued attacking offensively, receiving contributions from Eugene, Fabian Gomez and Aiden Pearsall-Morgan down the stretch. Pearsall-Morgan connected on a three-pointer in the final minute before adding a layup with seven seconds remaining, sending Warner Pacific into halftime with a 61-55 lead.
Warner Pacific's offense was particularly effective during the opening 20 minutes, shooting an impressive 62.2 percent from the field and 80 percent from three-point range. The Knights maintained their advantage coming out of halftime, with Sam Harrison, Turner and Liam Ruttledge providing early baskets to keep Lincoln from closing the gap.
Parker continued his strong performance off the bench, knocking down a three-pointer with 14:33 remaining to extend Warner Pacific's lead to 72-64. Hymes followed with consecutive baskets midway through the second half, helping the Knights maintain an 80-74 advantage.
Lincoln continued battling, cutting the deficit to three points at 96-93 with just over three minutes remaining.
Warner Pacific responded when Turner converted a layup to push the advantage back to five. After Lincoln answered, Blackmore scored inside to give the Knights a 100-95 lead with 2:13 remaining. With the game still within reach for Lincoln, Turner delivered one of the biggest shots of the afternoon, connecting on a three-pointer off an assist from Parker with 1:33 remaining to extend Warner Pacific's lead to 103-95.
The Knights maintained control in the closing moments to secure the 106-97 victory and remain undefeated. Warner Pacific's offensive efficiency was a major factor in the win. The Knights finished 45-of-84 from the field (53.6 percent), 6-of-11 from three-point range (54.5 percent) and 10-of-12 from the free-throw line (83.3 percent).
The Knights also dominated several key statistical categories, outscoring Lincoln 56-38 in the paint, 42-7 in bench points and 15-5 in second-chance points. Warner Pacific forced 12 Lincoln turnovers while committing just eight of its own, converting those opportunities into 17 points.
Pearsall-Morgan finished with nine points, three rebounds and two assists, while Hymes added eight points, three rebounds and two steals. Gooding contributed seven points, two assists, a steal and a blocked shot. Eugene and Ruttledge each scored six points, while Harrison pulled down a team-high seven rebounds to go along with four points.
Lincoln was led by Veljko Munitlak, who recorded a game-high 31 points and 19 rebounds. Khristian Holmes added 25 points, while Nathan Chatelain finished with 17. The victory marked another strong offensive showing for Warner Pacific as the Knights continued their early-season momentum, using balanced scoring, efficient shooting and contributions throughout the lineup to secure their second win of the season at the Oxford Suites Invitational.
Next Up
The Knights wrap up their California trip going 2-0 to start the young season and will return home to play two games against Benedictine University Mesa this upcoming week. The first game will be played on Thursday at 12pm and then on Saturday at 11am at CC Perry Gymnasium.