Tacoma MBB Goes 1-2 in Crossover Tournament at Everett
# NWAC Crossover Tournament
EVERETT, Wash. — Tacoma Community College faced a challenging weekend at the NWAC Crossover Tournament, with mixed results across three games. The Titans fell to Everett 79-69 on Friday night, lost to Portland 97-57 on Saturday, but rallied to secure a 66-63 victory against Wenatchee Valley College on Sunday. Tacoma's overall record now stands at 3-4.
Tacoma's first game against Everett saw the Titans struggle to overcome an early deficit. The game commenced with Bubba Palacol scoring the first points on a layup and free throw, putting Everett ahead 3-0. Tacoma's Jakoi Lide quickly narrowed the gap with a steal and layup to make it 3-2. However, Everett expanded their lead significantly, reaching a 15-point margin at the 5:07 mark, notably with a layup by Ro'Darius Bryant. Despite a late three-pointer from Pawlose Aschalew at 1:09, Tacoma ended the first half trailing 40-27.
In the second half, Everett extended their lead to 21 points, bolstered by a three-pointer from Clayton Olstad at 12:09. Tacoma attempted a comeback, with Lide scoring a three-pointer late in the game, but Everett maintained control and secured the win with two free throws from Palacol in the final seconds.
**Tacoma Top Performers vs. Everett**
Jakoi Lide
----------------------
- 23 points
- 5 three-pointers made
- 8 assists
- 4 rebounds
Pawlose Aschalew
----------------------
- 11 points
- 3 three-pointers made
- 2 blocks
Samuel Taylor
----------------------
- 9 points
- 4 rebounds
- 1 steal
Donovan Gill
----------------------
- 9 points
- 4 assists
- 1 steal
Tacoma then faced Portland, who dominated the game with an impressive 62.7 percent shooting from the field. The game began with Portland taking an early lead through a 3-pointer by Vashon Hardges. Tacoma struggled to keep pace, falling behind by 18 points at one point in the first half, which concluded with Portland leading 42-24. Despite efforts from Donovan Gill and Jakoi Lide, Tacoma could not close the gap in the second half as Portland extended their lead to 42 points at one stage, ultimately sealing a commanding victory.
**Tacoma Top Performers vs. Portland**
Donovan Gill
----------------------
- 14 points
- 4/11 three-pointers made
- 2 steals
Adem Yagmur
----------------------
- 14 points
- 14 rebounds
- 6/11 free throws made
Samuel Taylor
----------------------
- 6 points
- 5 assists
- 3 rebounds
Jakoi Lide
----------------------
- 8 points
- 3 assists
- 1 steal
In their final game of the tournament against Wenatchee Valley College, Tacoma found their rhythm and secured a 66-63 win. The game began with WVC taking an early lead, but Donovan Gill's 3-pointer quickly leveled the score. Tacoma built on this momentum, with Samuel Taylor scoring crucial points, including a layup just before halftime to lead 35-31.
The second half remained tightly contested, with Taylor hitting a pivotal 3-pointer at 12:22 to give Tacoma a 43-39 lead. As the game neared its conclusion, Taylor extended the lead to 61-54 with another layup. Despite a late 3-pointer from WVC's Jaxon Heusser, Tacoma held on, thanks to crucial free throws, including two from Taylor in the final seconds.
**Tacoma Top Performers vs. Wenatchee Valley**
Samuel Taylor
----------------------
- 17 points
- 12 rebounds
- 3 assists
Amare Brown
----------------------
- 9 points
- 7 rebounds
- 5/6 free throws made
Jakoi Lide
----------------------
- 9 points
- 7 rebounds
- 1 block
Brian Shannon Jr.
----------------------
- 9 points
- 4 rebounds
- 2 assists
Donovan Gill
----------------------
- 8 points
- 2 blocks
- 2 assists
Tacoma finishes the NWAC Crossover Tournament with a record of 3-4, while their opponents' records vary, with Everett at 3-6, Portland at 7-3, and Wenatchee Valley at 4-8.
Go Titans!