Columbia Basin College women hang on for opening-round NWAC basketball win

A sign of a good basketball team is finding a way to win when things aren’t working.

Amy Sokaitis got that Wednesday night when the Columbia Basin College women’s coach watched her team hold off Pierce 46-40 in the first round of the Northwest Athletic Conference (NWAC) tournament on the CBC campus.

Thirty-two men’s and women’s community college basketball teams will compete in Pasco over the next two weeks for the conference championships.

The Hawks won despite shooting just 27 percent from the floor (16 for 59), and that included a dismal 2-for-25 performance from the 3-point line (8 percent).

But two things saved the Hawks: the Raiders shot worse from the floor at 18 percent (11 for 61); and the Hawks controlled the boards, outrebounding Pierce 50-34.

That spelled the difference.

“They were super athletic,” said Sokaitis, whose team next plays Umpqua at 4 p.m. Thursday in the quarterfinals. “We don’t usually see that much length. But at this time of year, any win is a good win.”

CBC jumped out to a 13-2 lead in the first quarter and looked well on its way to a victory. But Pierce gradually pulled back into the game, and in fact took the lead late in the third quarter.

Trinidie Nichols — a freshman from Post Falls, Idaho — helped right the course in the fourth quarter — sinking four free throws in the final 1:11, and delivering a beautiful bounce pass to teammate Kenzie Pedersen for an easy layin.

“I think we were nervous tonight,” admitted Nichols, who finished with 13 points and 8 rebounds. “We didn’t play our game. But we held it together when we needed to. They were physical and tough.”

Lexie Heath added 14 points for CBC, now 21-5. Pedersen finished with 17 rebounds, while Makenna Brandner added 16 more boards.

Kiki Brooks led Pierce (9-20) with 13 points.

CLACKAMAS 87, SKAGIT VALLEY 78: Kyle Fernstrom scored 22 points and grabbed 13 rebounds to lead Clackamas to the win.

Teammate Callie Glenn added 19 points and 6 assists. Sarah Cook had 20 points and 12 rebounds as Skagit Valley saw its season end.

GREEN RIVER 58, WENATCHEE VALLEY 56: Janae Kalama and Sadi Clemons each scored 11 points as Green River edged the Knights. Kalama added 5 rebounds and Clemons had three steals.

Kennewick High grad Alexes Stein led Wenatchee Valley, scoring 22 points and grabbing 9 rebounds in just 20 minutes of work.

UMPQUA 78, SHORELINE 71: The Riverhawks used a 22-10 third quarter to take control of the game.

Audrey Miller led the way with 25 points and 5 rebounds, while Victoria Hollingshead added 22 points, 14 rebounds, and 3 steals.

Taylor Eldredge led the Dolphins with 19 points, 6 rebounds and 4 steals.

Thursday, March 9, schedule (all women’s games)

Game 5 — Lower Columbia vs. Walla Walla, 10 a.m.

Game 6 — Peninsula vs. Linn-Benton, 12 p.m.

Game 7 — North Idaho vs. South Puget Sound, 6 p.m.

Game 8 — Lane vs. Bellevue, 8 p.m.

Game 9 —Quarterfinal, Clackamas vs. Green River, 2 p.m.

Game 10 — Quarterfinal, Umpqua vs. Columbia Basin, 4 p.m.

Fall leftover

▪ Missed this earlier, but what an outstanding season for true freshman Ayden Knapik at the University of Idaho.

The big fella, a graduate of Kennewick High, earned a starting spot on the Vandals’ offensive line last season. And he made everyone notice that he was an honorable mention selection for the Big Sky Conference all-conference football team.

Jeff Morrow is former sports editor for the Tri-City Herald.