OLYMPIA, WA – In a gritty Valentine's Day battle, the Lower Columbia College men's basketball team staged a massive comeback to defeat South Puget Sound 70-66 on Saturday. Trailing by as many as 17 points in the first half, the Red Devils exploded for 42 second-half points and used a perfect performance from the free-throw line to seal the victory.

With the win, Lower Columbia improves to 18-5 overall and 8-3 in league play, while dropping the Clippers to 18-8 overall.

The Comeback

The game started slowly for the Red Devils, who found themselves in a deep hole early. South Puget Sound built a commanding 17-point lead midway through the first half at 27-10. Despite the slow start, LCC managed to chip away before the break, going into halftime trailing 33-28.

The second half belonged to Lower Columbia. The Red Devils' offense found its rhythm, shooting 44.4% from the field in the final twenty minutes. The defense also stepped up, holding the Clippers to just 33 points in the second period. The game was a tight affair down the stretch, with the score tied at 62-62 with just over two minutes remaining.

Key Performers

Shane Douma-Sanchez was the engine for the Red Devils, pouring in a team-high 22 points. He was highly efficient, shooting 6-of-10 from the floor, 2-of-4 from three-point range, and a perfect 8-for-8 from the line. He also contributed 5 rebounds and 3 assists.

Cole Chester provided a crucial spark off the bench, finishing with 11 points. Chester was instrumental in closing out the game, hitting clutch free throws in the final minute to keep the Clippers at bay.

K Jackman-Thomas added 9 points and 4 rebounds, while Skyler Schmidt chipped in 8 points and 5 boards. Noah Schow anchored the glass with a team-high 7 rebounds.

By The Numbers

The deciding factor in the contest was Lower Columbia's flawless execution at the charity stripe. The team went a remarkable 18-for-18 (100%) from the free-throw line, compared to just 9-for-18 (50%) for South Puget Sound.

• Field Goals: LCC 23-54 (42.6%) vs. SPSCC 27-57 (47.4%).

• Rebounds: LCC won the battle of the boards 35-31.

• Bench Points: The Red Devils' depth shined, outscoring the Clippers' bench 25-4.

For South Puget Sound, Caleb Bowden led all scorers with 26 points, and Jeremiah Lewis added a double-double with 16 points and 12 rebounds.

Up Next

The Red Devils will look to keep the momentum rolling when they return to Myklebust Gym. LCC hosts the Tacoma Titans on Wednesday, February 18. Tip-off is scheduled for 5:30 PM.