2024 Season Concludes in Elite 8

Pasco, WA – For the fifth time in the past 6 seasons, the Trojans made the NWAC playoffs (*no NWAC post season in 2020 & 2021 due to COVID 19).  Under EvCC alum, first year head coach Daniel Thompson and the Trojans got through a competitive North region slate and finished with an 8-6 record taking 3^rd, one game back from 2^nd but also just one game up from not making the tournament altogether. 

The #3 north seed drew the #2 south region Lakers of Southwestern Oregon CC a team that ranked second in the NWAC in free throw attempts in makes and winners of five straight games to close out south region play.

The opening round game had both teams exchanging buckets, but it would be the Trojans to make the first run, and went up by thirteen on back-to-back three's by Raefe McEnroe and Derek Smith.  The Lakers weathered the storm and by halftime it was a one-point game, the Trojans up 39-38.  Derek Smith had 16 first half points on 6 of 8 shooting.

The second half would be controlled by EvCC building the lead out to as many as 14 and never trailing en route to an 86-76 victory.  Jailin Johnson scored 21 of his 23 points in the second half, primarily from the charity stripe making 13 of 14 free throws.  Derek Smith finished with 25 points, and Raefe McEnroe added 17 on 8 of 11 shooting.  Khalil Gilbert provided a defensive lift off the bench while scoring 5.

Although EvCC returned no players from last year's team that advanced to the championship game, Everett still found their way into the Elite 8.  The Trojans matched up with #4 west seed Tacoma CC, who stunned everyone by upsetting #1 Treasure Valley.  The Titans of TCC are a strong inside team, and rebound well, using their inside presence to defeat TVCC 87-70. 

Like the Lakers, Tacoma got to the line all season, and the Titans led the NWAC in both free throw attempts and makes.  TCC, didn't get to the line as often in this contest but did gather 16 offensive rebounds and 18 second chance points.  They also scored 40 points inside the paint, making it tough for the Trojans to string together consecutive stops.   A 17-0 start to the ball game, had EvCC playing catch up all game but as easy as it would have been to concede, the Trojans fought back all the way to within two with a minute to play in the half.  Tacoma got a bucket at the buzzer and the deficit would be four. 

EvCC kept the game within three through the first four minutes of the second half but Tacoma made a run to stretch it out to ten, where the cushion would remain for most of the remainder of the game.  By the final buzzer Tacoma advanced 88-80.  Ethan Martin led the team with 18 points, while Derek Smith and Daniel Headdings each had 16.  Headdings hit several key three's that continued to lift Everett and keep them within striking distance.  Raefe McEnroe concluded his Everett CC career with a double double, 11 points and 11 rebounds. 

Sophomore Derek Smith ended the season voted to the First Team all north region team, averaging 19.7 points per game (9^th in the NWAC) and finished the season with 228 made field goals which is the 7^th most all time at EvCC in a single season.  Jailin Johnson was voted to the north region all defensive team, but was also solid from the line, making 129 free throws (8^th most in a single season at EvCC) and his percentage with the 6^th best in program history at 82.7% (over 50 attempts).  Sophomore Raefe McEnroe, the only player on the roster to complete two years of eligibility at EvCC, finished his career with 610 points, shooting 56.6% from the field, and pulled down 349 rebounds with 60 blocks.  His 39 blocks this season ranks 7^th all time at EvCC and his career 60 ranks 5^th all time.  Finally, freshman Nate Harding spent the season coming off the bench as a sharp shooting three point shooter.  On the season, Nate made 55 threes, for a league leading percentage of 48.7%.  That percentage is also the highest in program history with over 50 attempts in a season.

As a team the 2023-2024 Trojans ranked 9th in program history with 87.2 points per game, 7^th in field goals made (961), 4^th in three-point field goal percentage (38.9%), 3^rd in free throw percentage (74.2%), and first all time in field goal percentage at 49.5%.