OLYMPIA, Wash. – Earning points from 12 different players, the top-ranked Eastern Oregon Mountaineers earned a balanced 82-67 win over the Evergreen Geoducks in a Cascade Conference men’s basketball game on Saturday night at CRC Gymnasium in Olympia, Wash.

It was the Geoducks (2-19, 1-12 CCC) who took the initial lead as freshman guard Frankie Johnson (Renton, Wash./Hazen HS) nailed a deep three-pointer just 20 seconds in.  Eastern Oregon (24-1, 12-1 CCC) answered back with a three-pointer of their own  as the Mounties used a 13-2 run to open up an eight point lead.

Evergreen found a run of their own, going on an 8-0 stretch to tie the Mounties, ranked number one for the third straight week in the latest NAIA DII Top 25, at 13-13.  Eastern again pushed the pace, building a double-digit lead with 3:50 to go in the first period as the Mountaineers took a 39-26 lead into the break.

In the second half, the Geoducks played right with the top team in the nation, eventually pulling back within single-digits on a layup by Johnson with 3:47 to go in the game.   As the clock continued to tick down, the Geoducks were forced to foul, allowing EOU to earn eight of their last 10 points from the charity stripe as Eastern Oregon earned the 82-67 win.

Evergreen was led by a game-high 21 points from Johnson, the third straight 20-plus game for the true freshman.  Junior Cody Peters (Coupeville, Wash./Western Oregon Univ.) added 13 points while Marc Taylor (Boise, Idaho/Edmonds CC) chipped in 12 points.  The Geoducks shot 36.1% on the night, making 26-of-72 attempts, including nine from behind the arc.

Eastern Oregon was led by 17 points off the bench from Cody Thurmond, including a perfect 10-for-10 on free throws.  Trent Roos added 13 points in 20 minutes played while Michael Crane nearly earned the double-double with 10 points and nine rebounds.  EOU shot 45.6% on the night, sinking 26-of-57 shots, including 11-of-23 from downtown.

The Geoducks hit the road next week, traveling to Portland to take on Warner Pacific.  Tip with the Knights is set for 7:30 p.m. in Portland, Ore.

Box Score

OLYMPIA, Wash. – Putting up 10 three-pointers, including eight in the first half, the College of Idaho Yotes earned an 89-78 win over the Evergreen Geoducks in a Cascade Conference men’s basketball game on Friday night at CRC Gymnasium in Olympia, Wash.

Senior Rodney Delgardo opened up the scoring just 16 seconds in as a three-ball put the Yotes (11-11, 7-5 CCC) up early.  The Geoducks (2-18, 1-11 CCC) answered back with a jumper by Travis Wagner (Federal Way, Wash./Green River CC) to keep things tight.  The Yotes continued to hold a slight lead until the 13:22 mark when freshman Frankie Johnson (Renton, Wash./Hazen HS) drained a three-pointer that gave Evergreen a 17-16 lead.

The Yotes answered back with a three-ball by Duncan Koga and another by Taylor Pruett as C of I continued to push the lead, eventually hitting double-digits with 6:39 left to play in the opening period.  Evergreen cut the differential down to just three with 14 seconds left to play on a Johnson layup but Antonio Garrett hit a pair of three throws with two ticks left to give College of Idaho the 47-42 halftime lead.

In the second half, Evergreen battled back to within three points on a layup by Elzie Dickens (Seattle, Wash./Highline CC) with 13:14 left to play but the Yotes continued to make shots to stop any rally the Geoducks tried to put together.  The lead hit double-digits again with 4:30 left to play and Evergreen couldn’t find an opportunity to get back in as College of Idaho earned the 89-78 win.

Evergreen was led by a second-straight 24 point performance from Johnson, who also added seven assists in 34 minutes on the floor.  Marc Taylor (Boise, Idaho/Edmonds CC) added 14 points while Dickens picked up 11 points off the bench.  Wagner rounded out the Evergreen scorers in double-digits with 10 points on the night.

College of Idaho was led by 16 points from Garrett.  Miguel Rodriguez added 19 points while Sydney Donaldson chipped in 14 points in the win.  Delgardo finished with 13 points while Koga came off the bench to put in 11 points for the Yotes.  As a team, C of I shot 47.7% on the night, making 31-of-65 attempts from the field, including 10-of-26 from behind the three-point arc.

Things don’t get any easier for the Geoducks as they play host to top-ranked Eastern Oregon on Saturday night.  Tip with the Mounties is set for 7:30 p.m. at CRC Gymnasium in Olympia, Wash.

Box Score

SALEM, Ore. – Freshman Frankie Johnson (Renton, Wash./Hazen HS) continued an outstanding rookie season with a career-high 24 points but it wasn’t enough as the Evergreen Geoducks fell to the Corban Warriors, 76-70, in a Cascade Conference men’s basketball game on Saturday night in Salem, Ore.

After the Geoducks took the early lead, Corban’s Josia Sebens took control as the Warriors held the lead for much of the half behind 16 points from Sebens.  The Geoducks hit their shots as well as a three-pointer by Travis Wagner (Federal Way, Wash./Green River CC) with 59 seconds left in the opening half pulled Evergreen within three points at 34-31 heading into the break.

Evergreen saw offense from just three players in the opening period but that trio combined for 11 of 21 shooting as the Geoducks stayed right with the Warriors.  Johnson led the Evergreen first half effort with 12 points, followed by 10 points from Wagner and nine points from junior Cody Peters (Coupeville, Wash./Western Oregon Univ.).

The Geoducks continued to battle back, eventually tying things up at 44-44 with 15:23 on a layup by Johnson and then holding the lead for the next few minutes.  Corban put together an 8-0 run that put them up by six with 11:29 on the clock and the Warriors continued to hit shots, pushing the advantage to 12 points with 6:18 left to play.

A 14-3 run by the Geoducks brought Evergreen within four minutes with 2:35 left to go but the black-clad Geoducks would not be able to get any closer as Corban earned the 76-70 win to sweep the season series.

Evergreen was led by the career-high 24 points from Johnson, who shot nine of 16 from the field, including five-of-ten from behind the arc.  Peters added 15 while Wagner put up 13 points to go with seven rebounds and six assists.  The Geoducks shot 43.3% on the game, making 26-of-60 attempts, including 10-of-27 from three-point range.

Corban was paced by 24 points from Sebens.  Andrew Evans added 15 points while Marcus Butler finished with 13 in the win.  Kent Foster chalked up 10 points off the bench to round out the Warriors in double-digit points.  Corban was sent to the charity stripe 29 times on the game, compared with just 11 for Evergreen, and converted on 21 of those attempts for 72.4%.

Evergreen returns to CRC Gymnasium on Friday night to take on College of Idaho.  Tip with the Yotes is set for 7:30 p.m. as both coaching staffs will be lacing up their sneakers for the annual Coaches vs. Cancer night.  Fans are encouraged to wear pink as the Geoducks will team up with local charities to raise money and awareness for cancer research.

Box Score

EUGENE, Ore. – The Northwest Christian Beacons shot lights out and the Evergreen Geoducks couldn’t keep up, falling 73-62 in a Cascade Conference men’s basketball game on Friday night at Morse Event Center in Eugene, Ore.

The first half started with a pair of runs as Evergreen opened the game with six straight points before the Beacons answered back with 12 straight to build a lead of their own.  The Geoducks eventually got back on the board but NCU continued to hit their shots as the lead for the Beacons persistently grow.

Northwest Christian shot 51.5% from the field in the first half, turning the ball over just three times, as they took a 36-21 lead into the break.  The Beacons were also only whistled for three fouls in the first 20 minutes, giving the Geoducks just one attempt from the charity stripe as they struggled to get the offense going in the opening half.

The lead stayed in double-digits until the 6:47 mark when Cody Peters (Coupeville, Wash./Western Oregon Univ.) put in a layup that pulled the Geoducks within eight at 56-48. Unfortunately for Evergreen, the comeback stalled as the Beacons pushed the lead back into double-digits, eventually playing to the 73-62 win.

Evergreen was led by 19 points from freshman Frankie Johnson (Renton, Wash./Hazen HS).  Senior Travis Wagner (Federal Way, Wash./Green River CC) added 14 points, including four three-pointers.  Peters finished with just seven points but brought down 11 rebounds as the Geoducks held a 52-37 advantage on the glass.

Northwest Christian was led by 18 points from Jordan Buhler.  Trevor Parker added 16 points while Brody McGowan finished with 13 points off the bench.  The Beacons shot 50.8% from the field, making 32-of-63 attempts.

The Geoducks look to return to the win column on Saturday when they take on Corban, beginning at 7:30 p.m. in Salem, Ore.

Box Score

KLAMATH FALLS, Ore. – The Evergreen Geoducks did nearly everything they could to earn the upset victory but it wasn’t meant to be as the defending national champion Oregon Tech Owls earned a 71-68 win in a Cascade Conference men’s basketball game on Saturday night on Danny Miles Court in Klamath Falls, Ore.

After the Owls got off to an 11-0 lead, freshman Michael Potter (Ridgefield, Wash./Ridgefield HS) singlehandedly brought the Geoducks back, hitting three three-pointers and a pair of free throws to knot the game at 11.

Evergreen continued the run and built a four-point lead before the Owls took back the advantage.  OIT continued to hold the advantage, though a late Geoduck run cut the lead heading into the break as Oregon Tech led 33-26.

In the second half, OIT continued to push the pace as the advantage went back into double-digits on a three-pointer by Mihajlo Matic with just under nine minutes left.  The Geoducks didn’t give up as a three-pointer by Frankie Johnson (Renton, Wash./Hazen HS) with 1:14 left to play brought Evergreen back within four points at 63-59 heading into the final minute of the game.

A tip-in by Cody Peters (Coupeville, Wash./Western Oregon Univ.)  with 38 seconds put the differential at just two points but David Clarke hit a pair of free throws to put OIT up by four once again.  The Geoducks kept fighting but the Owls hit their free throws down the stretch as OIT earned the 71-68 win to snap a seven-game CCC losing streak.

Evergreen was led by 20 points from Potter, who scored double-digit points for the first time in his collegiate career.  Peters finished with 17 points on the night, including a pair of authority-grabbing dunks.  The Geoducks shot 42.9% for the night, making 24-of-56 attempts, including nine from behind the arc.

Oregon Tech was led by 17 points from Josh Johnson, who also had 12 rebounds to earn the double-double.  Matic added 13 points while Clarke finished with 12 points in the win.  The Owls outrebounded the Geoducks, 45-37, on the night.

Evergreen opens up the second half of conference play on Friday night when they travel to Northwest Christian.  Tip with the Beacons is set for 7:30 p.m. in Eugene, Ore.

 Box Score