CCS men to play for third

KENNEWICK – Community Colleges of Spokane’s inability to handle the Edmonds Tritons’ aggressive defense proved costly to the Sasquatch in the semifinals of the Northwest Athletic Association of Community College’s men’s basketball tournament on Monday night.

The Tritons were credited with 13 steals on 20 Sasquatch turnovers and converted those into 21 points in collecting a 68-64 victory. By contrast, Edmonds had just seven turnovers which led to seven CCS points.

CCS (20-19) will face Eastern Region rival Big Bend at 2 p.m. today for third and fourth places. Big Bend dropped a 66-65 decision to Chemeketa in the other semifinal. Edmonds and Chemeketa will play for the championship at 8.

Outside of the turnover margin, which figured in Edmonds taking 17 more shots, the Sasquatch more than held its own. They had a 38-33 rebounding advantage and outscored the Tritons 18-6 on 3-pointers.

Sophomore Brady Bagby (West Valley) led the Sasquatch with 22 points. Tyler Edwards (Cusick) and Eric Holbrook (Priest River) added 10 each.

Ricardo Maxwell led Edmonds with 25 points.

Women

CCS saw a 19-point lead late in the first half disappear in dropping a 62-54 decision to Southwestern Oregon in a loser-out game after staying alive with a 70-55 triumph over Whatcom late Sunday night.

Freshman Riley Holsinger (North Central) led the Sasquatch (16-13) with 12 points and 11 rebounds in Monday’s loss that left them with a 1-2 record in the tournament. Sophomore Vanessa Corona added 11 points, hitting 3 of 5 3-pointers. Quynne Eharis led three double-figure scorers for the Lakers with 19 points and added 15 rebounds.

Sophomore guards Jordan Brons (Colville) and Amelia Cook (Medical Lake) led Sunday’s come-from-behind victory with 14 points each.

Breeana Wilson and Tamar Williams added 10 points each. Holsinger had 11 rebounds and Williams 10.