The Lower Columbia women's basketball team needed about six minutes to shake off the effects of the Christmas break.  Once they got going, there was no looking back.

The Red Devils defeated Portland 85-40 Thursday December 27th in the opening round of the Lower Columbia Holiday Classic at Myklebust Gymnasium.

Down 4-0 and muddling through a somewhat sluggish first quarter, the Devils found their footing and took it to the Panthers.

Shasta Lofgren had an outstanding game for LCC, scoring 20 points with 11 rebounds, six assists and just one turnover.

Emily Packham was dialed in from long range, hitting 4 of 6 three-pointers and a total of 14 points.

Nizhoni Wheeler had 12 points, missing just one of six shots on the night.  The Devils shot 46 percent from the floor and 45 percent from beyond the arc.

The reserve posts were effective.  Melenaite Kata had nine points and eight boards.  Madeline Jacobson had eight points and eight rebounds on her 19th birthday.  Mikayla Hopkins had six points and four rebounds.

Leading Red Devil scorer Kenya Lorton was held to nine points, but she was a force with seven assists and eight rebounds.

The Devils will have a formidable foe when they take on the Whatcom Orcas in the Holiday Classic Semi-Finals at 6 pm on Friday December 28th.  Whatcom upended Umpqua 96-92 on Thursday.

Day Two of the Lower Columbia Holiday Classic:
12 pm: Umpqua versus Highline
2 pm: Centralia versus Portland
4 pm: Yakima Valley versus North Idaho
6 pm: Whatcom versus Lower Columbia