PASCO, WA — The Lower Columbia Red Devils showcased their resilience on Wednesday afternoon, erasing a halftime deficit to secure a thrilling 57-54 victory over Clark in the opening round of the NWAC Basketball Championships.

Playing at Columbia Basin College, the Red Devils found themselves in an early hole. Clark controlled the tempo in the first twenty minutes, sending Lower Columbia into the locker room at halftime trailing 31-24. The deficit grew to a game-high nine points early in the second half when Clark took a 33-24 advantage at the 19:43 mark. However, Lower Columbia flipped the script defensively and found their rhythm on the offensive end. The Red Devils outscored Clark 33-23 in the final frame to roar back and punch their ticket to the next round.

Kenyan Jackman-Thomas anchored the comeback effort with a dominant double-double, recording a team-high 15 points to go along with 11 rebounds. Jackman-Thomas was incredibly efficient, shooting 5-of-8 from the floor and a perfect 5-of-5 from the free-throw line.

The Red Devils also got a massive lift from James Grose, who provided a crucial perimeter spark. Grose tallied 13 points and was deadly from beyond the arc, knocking down 3-of-4 three-point attempts. Noah Schow narrowly missed a double-double of his own, contributing nine points and nine rebounds, while Skyler Schmidt was a force on the glass, pulling down 11 rebounds and adding eight points.

Lower Columbia's ability to attack the rim proved to be a difference-maker, as they outscored Clark 30-24 in the paint. As a team, the Red Devils shot a solid 41.1% from the field, overcoming Clark's physical defense.

Down the stretch, Lower Columbia executed when it mattered most. With the game hanging in the balance, Schow drove the paint and converted a clutch layup with just 16 seconds remaining, extending the Lower Columbia lead to the final 57-54 margin.

Clark was kept in the game largely by the efforts of Ari Richardson, who led all scorers with 20 points, and Noah Tostovrsnik, who added 11 points and 10 rebounds. The Red Devils' defense, however, held Clark to just 31.0% shooting for the game.

With the dramatic opening-round victory under their belts, the Red Devils now turn their attention to the Elite Eight. Lower Columbia will face off against the Treasure Valley Chukars on Thursday, March 5, with tip-off scheduled for 2:00 PM in Pasco.