Lower Columbia pulled off a thrilling 68-66 victory over Green River in a closely contested matchup at Myklebust Gymnasium. The Red Devils used a strong second-half surge to edge out the Gators, securing a crucial win in conference play.
The first half saw both teams trading baskets, with Green River taking a slim 30-29 lead into the break. However, Lower Columbia found its rhythm in the second half, outscoring the Gators 39-36 to claim the win. The Red Devils leaned on their perimeter shooting, knocking down 11 three-pointers at a 42.3% clip, while Green River managed just seven from deep.
David Young led the Red Devils' charge, pouring in a team-high 19 points while hitting five three-pointers. He also contributed four assists and two steals, playing a pivotal role in keeping Lower Columbia's offense moving.
James Grose followed with 12 points on an efficient 5-of-10 shooting while adding four rebounds and two assists.
Malik Brown and
Kap Laila each added 11 points, with Brown dishing out four assists. Laila was a force in the paint, shooting 5-of-7 from the field and grabbing three rebounds.
Amir Locus provided a strong presence inside, pulling down seven rebounds to go along with his seven points.
Defensively, Lower Columbia made key stops down the stretch, including three blocks from
Javares Reid, who also grabbed six rebounds. The Red Devils' rebounding edge (30-26) and their ability to move the ball effectively, registering 17 assists, proved to be the difference.
For Green River, Jayden Wright was the standout performer, leading all scorers with 16 points while pulling down eight rebounds. Chase Degraffenried also contributed with 12 points, five assists, and three steals, but the Gators fell just short in the final minutes.
The victory improves Lower Columbia's record to 7-2 in conference play, keeping them in the thick of the postseason race. Green River, now also at 7-2 in league play are tied with LCC for second in the west behind South Puget Sound (8-0).Â
Red Devils are back at it on Wednesday, February 12 with a 7:30 pm tip at Tacoma Community College.
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