Trojans Roll in 39 Point Win Over the Orcas

EVERETT, Wash. – The Everett Community College men's basketball team put together its most complete performance of the season Wednesday night, dominating visiting Whatcom 94-55 to secure the program's largest margin of victory this year and climb into fourth place in the Northwest Athletic Conference North Region standings.

From the opening tip, the Trojans set the tone on both ends of the floor. Everett jumped out to an early lead and never looked back, taking a commanding 41-19 advantage into halftime. The momentum only continued in the second half as the Trojans poured in 53 more points to cruise to the 39-point win and improve to 11-12 overall and an even 4-4 in conference play.

Offensively, Everett was outstanding from start to finish, shooting a blistering 60.3 percent from the field and knocking down 9-of-19 attempts from beyond the arc. The Trojans also shared the ball at a high level, racking up 24 assists on 38 made field goals while committing just eight turnovers.

Freshman standout Anthony Najera led the charge with a spectacular all-around performance, finishing with a game-high 25 points on an ultra-efficient 9-of-11 shooting, including 4-of-5 from three-point range. He added six assists and two steals to cap an impressive night.

Bubba Palacol continued his strong play with 15 points, four assists, and two steals, while Ro'Darius Bryant provided a major spark off the bench with 14 points and five rebounds on 6-of-9 shooting. Darious Turner contributed a balanced effort of 13 points, six rebounds, two assists, and a block, helping the Trojans control the paint.

Everett received contributions from all over the roster. Noah Parker was perfect from the floor, scoring nine points in 18 minutes, and Clayton Olstad added seven points off the bench. Bryson Bell didn't score but made a huge impact on the glass with a game-high nine rebounds, helping Everett dominate the boards 39-34.

Defensively, the Trojans were equally impressive, holding Whatcom to just 33.9 percent shooting and forcing 12 turnovers. Everett's pressure and activity resulted in eight steals and limited the Orcas to only two made three-pointers on the night.

Whatcom was led by Corey Tita and Darius Williams with 11 points apiece, but the Orcas could never find consistent rhythm against a locked-in Trojan squad.

The victory not only marked Everett's most decisive win of the season, but it also pushed the Trojans into sole possession of fourth place in the North Region standings with six games remaining. Everett will head into the weekend with a match up against top ranked Bellevue College who has now won 20 straight contests.  The Trojans will look to snap the streak on Saturday in Bellevue with a 2pm tip off.