(Tacoma, WA) – One of the key West Region men's games happened to be on opening night. The Lower Columbia men kept their poise and won a physical, intense clash at Tacoma 70-66 on Wednesday January 10
th.
Both teams had impressive pre-league seasons coming into the game and both teams played like the league title was on the line. Tacoma jumped out to a seven point lead with 10 minutes left in the half.
Josh Jackson hit a big three to get LCC within four.
Enter the hometown boy. Keshaun Lewis hit a lay-up to tie the game 18-18. He then got the Devils ahead with a clutch three pointer. Lewis, who played his high school ball not far from the TCC campus at Foss High then hit another two tough lay-ins and a three pointer that fueled the Red Devils to a 35-29 lead at halftime. Lewis was 5 for 6 from the floor in the first half for 12 points.
LCC would need that lead because TCC came back. The Titans played a very physical game as they bumped and harassed the Red Devils guards all the way up the court.
David Young opened the second half with a three-pointer that upped the lead to eight.
Kobe Parlin's three had LCC up by 11 with 17:39 left.
Kaden Horn's tough lay-up gave LCC its largest lead at 44-31.
The Titans Marc Eyman lost his cool with 14 minutes left when he used his head to spear Young in the lower mid section. The flagrant foul led to Eyman's ejection. It also sparked a TCC comeback.
Tacoma actually took the lead 52-51 with nine minutes left. The Devils didn't fold and
Carter McCoy hit a key three to give LCC a 62-57 lead with six minutes to go.
Tied at 62 with three minutes to go, McCoy's putback, a steal by
Malik Brown, and a clutch three by Parlin but LCC in position to win.
Lewis hit two free throws with one second left and the Devils opened league with a win and beat Tacoma for a 13
th consecutive time.
Lewis and Parlin led the way with 13 points each. Brown scored 10 points with seven rebounds, three assists and four steals.
Young and McCoy had nine each. Horn had seven points and five rebounds.
Jonah Zeller returned from an ankle injury and did a great job on TCC's 19 points-per-game scorer Chae Haynes who was held to nine points.
The three-time NWAC West defending champs got a big win to open league and will have another road game Saturday January 13
th at Grays Harbor. The tip off in Aberdeen is at 3 pm.
