Strong Opening Weekend at Tip-Off Classic

Everett, WA – The defending North Region Champions got the season underway hosting the Everett Tip Off Classic with three west region teams, Centralia, Grays Harbor, Green River, and two other north region teams, Edmonds and Skagit Valley College.

In the opening game of the 2021-2022 campaign, EvCC hosted Centralia College and cruised to a 97-88 win.  Brendon Redford and Cam Millican both led all scorers with 24 points.  Redford added 14 rebounds which led all rebounders in the game.  Three other Trojans scored in double figures, Brandon Congdon (14), Raefe McEnroe (11), and Christian Zamora came off the bench with 11.  EvCC shot well from the floor going 50.7%, though the outside shooting from beyond the arc was less than stellar at 26%.  It was a great night sharing the ball with 23 total team assists.  Brycen Dillworth and Cam Millican each led the way with five.

On Saturday night, the Trojans faced a big and strong Grays Harbor team that fell to Skagit Valley College the night before by a final score of 67-62.  It was a slow start for EvCC, shooting just 25% from the floor through the first ten minutes of action and because of that trailed for the majority of the first half.  But a Leon Sayers three gave Everett the lead for the first time since going up 2-0.  From that point on the Trojans never trailed again, and won going away 86-65.   Five players scored in double figures, with Brendon Redford leading the way at 15, and also grabbing nine rebounds.  Raefe McEnroe scored 14 off the bench, as did Christian Zamora (13) and JT Smith (12).  Cam Millican had an off night shooting but still contributed by leading the team with assists (5) and brought down 7 rebounds.  Everett finished the game shooting 47.6% from the field and over half of the teams points came from the bench (48). 

In the weekend finale, Everett matched up with a high-powered Green River team, that defeated Edmonds on Friday night 91-83, and came up just short Saturday afternoon against Skagit Valley falling 81-70.  Cam Vaughn led the Gators both nights scoring 22 and 19 respectively. 

It was high octane from the start with both teams exchanging blows, scoring in a variety of ways.  But after the score was tied at 31 with just over five minutes remaining in the half, the Trojans went on a 22-10 run to close out the half and took a 53-41 lead at the break.  Brendon Redford and Cam Millican led the way with 12 points each, and GRC's leading scorer Cam Vaughn was held to just 7 points on 3 of 7 shooting.  More of the same followed for the Trojans in the 2^nd half, building the lead out to as much as 21 with 10 minutes remaining in the game.  The Gators fought to back within nine, but Everett hit clutch buckets when needed, and pulled away winning 99-79.  Millican led all scorers with 25 on the night on 8-12 shooting.  Brendon Redford put up 21 and hauled in a career high 19 rebounds also converting on 7-7 from the stripe.  True freshman Brandon Congdon added 10 points and dished out 7 assists.  As a team the Trojans out-rebounded the Gators 49 to 25 and shot a solid 11-21 from beyond the arc. 

Everett will have the Thanksgiving week off, and will return to action on November 26^th, to take on Southwestern Oregon CC in the opening round of the Lower Columbia College Thanksgiving Tournament.  Tip off for that game is scheduled for 1pm.