OLYMPIA, Wash. – Dropping 36 baskets, including six from behind the arc, the Southern Oregon Raiders shot their way past the Evergreen Geoducks in a Cascade Conference men’s basketball game on Friday night at CRC Gymnasium in Olympia, Wash.
The Geoducks (1-16, 0-8 CCC) nearly brought down the house on their first basket as freshman Les Jones (Tacoma, Wash./Mt. Tahoma HS) stole the ball and lobbed up a break-away alley-oop to Larry Green (Seattle, Wash./Grays Harbor CC) for the initial 2-0 lead. Unfortunately for Evergreen, the Raiders (13-6, 6-2 CCC) would take control not long after but not without having to guard against Green, who put up ten points in the first 5:20 of the game.
Green eventually cooled off and the Raiders heated up as the lead hit double-digits with 6:39 left to go in the first half on a jumper by Terriel Thomas. SOU eventually pushed the lead to 17 as they took the 45-28 lead into the break. The Raiders, who were among those receiving votes in the latest NAIA Top 25, made 19 of 33 attempts from the field in the first half for 57.6% as they built up the lead.
In the second half, Southern Oregon managed to push the lead past the 20-point mark early on. The comeback attempt became even tougher for the Geoducks when head coach Arvin Mosley, Jr. was ejected following his second technical with 14:50 still left to play. Evergreen didn’t give up under the guidance of assistant coach Keefe Piper as the Geoducks fought back into the teens but couldn’t get any closer than 17 as the Raiders cruised to the 85-62 win.
Evergreen was led by 29 points from Green, including seven three-pointers, which ties him for most in a game in the CCC this season. Senior Patrick Lewis (Bremerton, Wash./Olympic College) added 10 points for the Geoducks, who only played seven players on the night, compared with 13 for Southern Oregon.
Southern Oregon was led by 18 points from Eric Thompson. Taylor Roos came off the bench to add 16 points and Thomas chipped in 15 points to go with nine rebounds on the night. The Raiders made 54.5% from the field on the night and outrebounded Evergreen, 46-32, on the game.
Evergreen will wrap up the first half of conference play on Saturday night when they play host to third-ranked Oregon Tech. Tip with the Owls is set for 7:30pm at CRC Gymnasium in Olympia, Wash.
