WHITTIER, Calif. – Trailing by as many as 14 points in the second half, the Linfield Wildcats roared back to knock off the Whittier Poets 103-98 in the season-opener for both clubs Friday night at Graham Athletic Center.
 
Will Burghardt poured in a career-best 30 points to go along with six assists and three steals. After putting up 17 points in the first half, Burghardt added 13 in the second half to fuel the come-from-behind win.  The junior guard was extremely efficient, hitting 9 of 15 shots from the field and 4 of 7 from three-point range. At the free throw line, Burghardt was a perfect 8 of 8.
 
"It was a tale of two halves," said Wildcats coach Shanan Rosenberg afterward. "Whittier has a good team and they played very hard. We were fortunate to win. Our veterans really just decided they weren't going to lose."
 
Aaron Baune tied the game at 86 with a three-pointer with a little over four minutes left to play and Dempsey Roggenbuck followed with another three-pointer to give the Linfield the lead and the Wildcats never looked back after that.
 
After a quiet first half, Roggenbuck had a strong second half. He scored 14 points and corralled five rebounds in the second stanza to total 20 points, eight rebounds and two assists.
 
"Dempsey really came alive second half and made some high impact plays," Rosenberg said.
 
Tanner Autencio and Grant Gibb added another 14 points apiece. Autencio contributed four of Linfield's 17 assists.
 
Baune had 14 points off the bench and Max Lommen added eight. Baune hit two of his six three-point attempts and Lommen was good on his lone long-range shot. For the game, Linfield shot just short of 50 percent from the three-point line with 16 three-point bombs. The 'Cats hit nine of their last 18 three-point attempts in the second half to pull out the win.
 
"We shared the ball very well and rebounded with great determination down the stretch," said Rosenberg. "Will Burghardt would not be denied, and Max Lommen and Aaron Baune gave us a great lift of the bench."
 
Kenyatta Louder was the leading scorer for the Poets with 29 points. Nick Potthoff had 25 points in a losing effort. Whittier shot over 65 percent in the first half but cooled off to 38 percent after intermission.
 
NEXT
Linfield plays its second game of the Redlands Tipoff Classic Saturday at noon against the host Bulldogs.