Clippers Fall to SWOCC in NWAC Final Four Game

The South Puget Sound Community College Men's Basketball team fought hard, but could not get a groove going and were eliminated from the NWAC Basketball Championships by the Southwestern Oregon (SWOCC) Lakers by a score of 76-60.

SWOCC came into the tournament as the #4 seed from the South Region and looked to continue their Cinderella run against the Clippers after defeating the #1 seed from the East in Walla Walla and a tough Green River team from the West.

The first half was a back-and-forth affair with the Clippers and Lakers trading leads all throughout the opening 10 minutes of the period. It wasn't until the latter half of the period that SWOCC began to grow a lead as the Lakers slowed down the Clips' attack and held them scoreless for the better part of seven minutes. The Lakers went into the half up 33-25 as the Clippers knew they had their work cut out for them.

However, it was all SWOCC in the second half as they went 55% from the field and 42% from beyond the arc. The Clips managed to find a bit of momentum with Andreas Engholm leading the charge and that got them within 10 points at the halfway mark of the half. Nevertheless, the Clippers' run was extinguished by SWOCC going on a disheartening 19-9 run that effectively put the game out of reach for SPSCC.

Sophomore Guard Nehemiah Pollard led the team with 15 points and Freshman Center Jeremiah Lewis had a stellar game, notching a 10-point, 12-rebound double-double.

Although the team aspired to win it all, the Clipper Men's Basketball team can hold their heads up high knowing that this team has advanced further than any other team in school history and finished tied for most wins in program history (25).