Pasco, WA — The Lower Columbia Red Devils are heading back to the NWAC Championship game to defend their title after completing a stunning second-half comeback to defeat the Bellevue Bulldogs 70-67 in the Final Four at Columbia Basin College on March 13. Trailing by 14 points at halftime, the Red Devils staged a miraculous turnaround, flipping a cold-shooting first half into an offensive clinic to keep their back-to-back championship dreams alive.
The first twenty minutes of the contest belonged heavily to Bellevue. The Bulldogs built a daunting 35-21 halftime advantage, capitalizing on Lower Columbia's early struggles from the floor. During the first frame, the Red Devils shot just 28.57 percent, connecting on only 8 of 28 field goal attempts. Conversely, Bellevue controlled the tempo, shooting 40 percent in the first half while leaning on a staggering 34 bench points and 32 total points in the paint over the course of the game. Bellevue's largest lead of the night swelled to 14 points with just over seven minutes remaining in the opening half.
However, the Red Devils emerged from the locker room completely transformed. Lower Columbia torched the nets in the second half, shooting an incredible 69.57 percent from the floor on 16 of 23 shooting to outscore the Bulldogs 49-32 in the final period. The offensive explosion was spearheaded by an absolute masterclass from James Grose, who finished with a game-high 27 points and seven rebounds. Grose was a model of efficiency, shooting 7 of 10 from the field, a perfect 3 for 3 from beyond the arc, and an unblemished 10 for 10 at the free-throw line. He was instrumental in the comeback, pouring in 17 of his points during the second-half surge.
Skyler Schmidt was equally vital, contributing 17 points on 8 of 12 shooting while pulling down six rebounds and swatting away four massive blocks to anchor the defense. Noah Schow rounded out the double-digit scorers for the Devils with 15 points and four rebounds while sinking a perfect 3 for 3 from the charity stripe.
The pivotal turning point arrived midway through the second half. Following a pair of crucial free throws by Grose to tie the game at 51-51 with eight minutes left, the Devils capitalized on the momentum. Shortly after, Grose drilled a clutch three-pointer to give Lower Columbia a 56-54 advantage with under seven minutes remaining. As the clock wound down, the game became a battle of nerves at the foul line. Bellevue's Josiah Johnson, who matched Grose with a game-high 27 points on 9 of 16 shooting alongside Will Woodward's 19-point, 11-rebound double-double, hit a late three-pointer to close the gap to a single point at 68-67 with 13 seconds left. Grose calmly sank two final free throws to extend the lead to three. On the final possession, Bellevue missed two desperate three-point attempts, and a decisive defensive rebound by Lonnie Brown Jr. sealed the thrilling 70-67 victory for Lower Columbia.
Lower Columbia ultimately outperformed Bellevue in overall shooting efficiency, finishing at 47.1 percent compared to Bellevue's 43.1 percent, and overcoming a minus-5 rebounding margin (32 to Bellevue's 37). The Red Devils also logged 26 points in the paint and 10 points off turnovers. The Bulldogs finished with 17 points off turnovers and shot just 25 percent from three-point range.
The unforgettable turnaround cements the Red Devils' place in the finals, where they will look to capture the NWAC Championship crown for the second consecutive year.
NWAC Championship Title Game is set to tip at 12:00 pm on Sunday, March 15 in Pasco, WA at Columbia Basin College. The Devils will face the winner of the Skagit Valley Cardinals vs Edmond Tritons semi-final game.
