(Pasco, WA) – Another outstanding season of Lower Columbia men's basketball ended on Saturday March 11
th at the NWAC Championships in Pasco.
The Red Devils opened the Sweet 16 on Friday March 10
th with an 81-69 victory over Umpqua. A poor shooting first half was too much to overcome when the Devils lost in the Elite Eight to Everett 69-49.
LCC 81 UMPQUA 69
The Devils jumped out to an 11-2 lead at the outset and withstood a couple of Riverhawk runs to get the victory.
Sherman Royal III was outstanding with 26 points and 10 rebounds.
The Lower Columbia size advantage and relentless desire led to several second opportunities. The Devils had 14 offensive rebounds which led to 15 second chance points. LCC dominated the rebounding war 40-24.
The Red Devils shot 49 percent from the floor and 40 percent from long distance.
Emanuel Steward had 13 points, six rebounds and five assists for LCC.
Kaden Horn hit 3 of 4 three-pointers and ended up with 12 points.
Jonah Zeller had three blocked shots to go with his 12 points.
Carter McCoy had seven rebounds with four points.
Cole Hardy had six points and five boards.
Ashton Harvey had six points and six rebounds.
EVERETT 69 LCC 49
It was a nightmare first half for the Devils. LCC shot 5 for 33 in the first 20 minutes including 0 for 8 from three-point range.
With the perplexing shooting, the Devils were down 31-17 at the half. The team did not quit and they actually played solid defense against an Everett team averaging over 85 points per game.
The offense got better in the second half for LCC. Steward scored 15 of his 17 points in the second half. He hit five three's in the second half, three of them from waaaay outside.
Carter McCoy was outstanding with nine points, 11 rebounds and four blocks. The closest the Devils could get was 11 in the second half as the Trojans came away with a victory that puts them into the Final Four for the first time since 1995.
Tyriq Luke and Colton Spencer led Everett with 18 points each.
Despite the disappointing ending to the season, the Devils put another outstanding campaign together. The team won its 4
th straight West Region title, and got into the Elite Eight for the second time in the six years under head coach
Mickey Polis.
The Devils also qualified for the NWAC Championships for the 41
st time, nine more than the next team Bellevue.
Playing in a Red Devil uniform for the final time were Steward, Royal, Harvey, Hardy,
Cameron Holden and
Jake Leitz. The six sophomores had a great two year run with two division titles to show for it. Royal and Hardy spent three seasons as Devils and provided the leadership through the pandemic.
The recruiting game is well underway as Coach Polis looks to restock. Horn, Zeller, McCoy and
Mekhi Morris will be back to provide leadership, talent and experience. The Devils also have four outstanding redshirts that will be ready to show what they got on game night.
