KIRKLAND, Wash. – Looking to give head coach Arvin Mosley Jr. a win on his birthday, the Evergreen Geoducks did just about everything they could but a large disparity in free throws gave 16th-ranked Northwest Eagles the 84-83 win in a Cascade Collegiate Conference men’s basketball game on Friday night in Kirkland, Wash.
The host-Eagles (16-5, 8-4 CCC) made the first basket just 10 seconds in but the Geoducks (7-15, 4-8 CCC) used six straight points to take the lead and quickly built a double-digit lead, holding an 18-7 advantage with 15:06 left to play in the first period. Northwest chipped away at the lead, pulling back within two midway through the period and even got back within a point with just over two minutes left to play but Evergreen scored their way to a five-point halftime lead, 46-41.
In the second half, the Eagles continued to test the Geoducks but Evergreen had their pencils sharpened as they continued to find the right answers, holding onto the lead until the 11:36 mark, when the second of two free throws gave Northwest just their second lead of the night. The two teams continued to battle for the remainder of regulation as Evergreen took the lead with just under two minutes to play on a layup by freshman Mikey Hope (Tacoma, Wash./Wilson HS). Northwest answered back on the next possession, using a layup by Greg Peters to tie the game at 74 and neither squad was able to basket the orange sphere as the in-state rivals headed to overtime.
In the extra period, Northwest took the lead on a jumper just 10 seconds in but the Geoducks answered back and the teams fought tough for the remainder of the period. A three-pointer by senior Josh Troyer (Vancouver, Wash./Lower Columbia CC) gave Evergreen a two point lead with 1:15 left. Hope was whistled for a foul on the next possession and Jordan Call hit one of two free throws to get back within one in the final minute.
After an Evergreen miss with 30 ticks remaining, things looked to bounce the Geoducks way as Northwest was called for an offensive foul but Hope missed the front end of a one-and-one to give the Eagles a chance to win it. Following a missed three-pointer, the luck went Northwest’s way as Troyer was called for a foul on the baseline, giving Stedman Richardson a chance to win it for the Eagles and he did just that, sinking a pair of free throws as Northwest collected the 84-83 victory.
Evergreen was led by 22 points from Hope, who also added six assists for the Geoducks. Marice Tolliver (Tacoma, Wash./Lower Columbia CC) added 16 points, six assists and six blocks. Troyer chipped in 13 points and seven steals while Larry Green (Seattle, Wash./Grays Harbor CC) scored 11 points in the losing effort. The Geoducks shot 46.7% from the field, including 42.3% from three-point range but were awarded just eight free throws on the night, converting just twice from the charity stripe.
Northwest was led by 16 points from Greg George, who also had nine rebounds in the win. Call and Greg Peters each added 14 points with Peters also picking up 13 rebounds for the double-double. Tyson Christie and Rich Skillman rounded out the Eagles in double-digits with 10 points each. The Eagles won the game from the free-throw stripe, making 26 of 36 total attempts for 72.2%.
Evergreen will look to bounce back next Friday when they return to the familiar confines of CRC Gymnasium to take on nationally-ranked Oregon Tech. Tip-off with the Owls is set for 7:30 p.m. in Olympia, Wash.
Game Stats
Upcoming Games
- Friday, February 4 (Home) *Oregon Tech 7:30pm
- Saturday, February 5 (Home) *Southern Oregon University 7:30pm
- Friday, February 11 (Away) *Warner Pacific College 7:30pm
- Saturday, February 12 (Away) *Concordia University 7:30pm
