PORTLAND, Ore. – Everything came up roses for the Evergreen Geoducks this weekend as the green and white earned their first ever weekend sweep in the Rose City, earning a 78-74 win over the Warner Pacific Knights in a Cascade Conference women’s basketball game on Saturday night at C.C. Perry Gymnasium in Portland, Ore.
The Geoducks got off to a quick start as Evergreen scored nine of the game’s first 11 points to put Warner Pacific behind early. The Knights answered back with eight straight and the two teams would battle the rest of the way with Evergreen earning a two-point halftime lead thanks to a pair of late free throws by Jessica Denmon (Oak Harbor, Wash./Oak Harbor HS/Skagit Valley CC) that put the score at 33-31.
In the second half, the Geoducks pushed the lead into double-digits on a free throw following a made basket by Sadee Jones (Belfair, Wash./North Mason HS) with 12:11 left to play. WPC stormed back to get within one point with 3:21 left to play but Evergreen dug deep and finished strong to earn the four-point win, 78-74.
Evergreen was led by 22 points off the bench from Uriah Thomas (Chehalis, Wash./W.F. West HS). Sammi Clark (Monroe, Wash./Monroe HS/Edmonds CC) added 19 points while Britany Gray (Bainbridge Island, Wash./Bainbridge HS/Skagit Valley CC) put up 18 points and 14 rebounds for the double-double. Denmon added 11 points in the win to round out the Geoducks in double-digit scoring.
Warner Pacific was led by 13 points from Jordan Wilcox. Courtney Walchli added 11 points off the bench as just two Knights finished in double-digit scoring. The Knights were doubled up on the glass as Evergreen held an incredible 53 to 25 rebounding advantage.
The Geoducks will look to make it three in a row on Friday as they return home to take on Northwest Christian. Tip with the Beacons is set for 5:30 p.m. at CRC Gymnasium in Olympia, Wash.