Second Half Surge Not Enough Against #2 Skagit Valley

EVERETT, WA – Facing the second-ranked team in the NWAC, Everett Community College showed its toughness and resolve Tuesday night, battling back from a large halftime deficit before ultimately dropping a hard-fought 79-69 decision to Skagit Valley College.

The Cardinals (23-2, 9-1 NWAC) lived up to their high ranking early, shooting lights out in the first half and building a 47-29 lead at the break. Everett (11-14, 4-6 NWAC) struggled to slow Skagit Valley's high-powered offense, which connected on 11 three-pointers and shot nearly 45 percent from the field for the game.

But the Trojans refused to go quietly.

Coming out of the locker room, Everett flipped the script with an inspired second-half performance, outscoring Skagit Valley 40-32 over the final 20 minutes. The Trojans tightened up defensively, attacked the rim, and steadily chipped away at the deficit to make things uncomfortable for one of the league's top teams.

Darious Turner led the charge with a team-high 16 points, knocking down 3-of-4 from beyond the arc while adding six rebounds and two blocks. Anthony Najera delivered another strong all-around effort with 14 points, five rebounds, and five assists in 40 gritty minutes.

Off the bench, Bryson Bell provided a major spark, scoring 11 points on a perfect 4-for-4 shooting, including 2-for-2 from three-point range, while also grabbing seven rebounds. His energy helped fuel Everett's second-half push.

Noah Parker battled hard inside against Skagit Valley's size, pulling down a game-high nine rebounds, including five on the offensive end. Kyler Hadfield added eight points, while Bubba Palacol contributed eight points in just 10 minutes before he had to leave the game due to injury. 

As a team, the Trojans shot an impressive 48.2 percent from the field and held their own on the glass, matching Skagit Valley with 35 total rebounds. Everett also showed discipline at the foul line, converting 9-of-12 free throw attempts.

Skagit Valley was paced by Treyshawn Weatherspoon, who filled the stat sheet with 21 points, eight assists, seven rebounds, and five steals. Malcolm Clark added 16 points and 10 rebounds for the Cardinals.

Everett will look to carry that second-half momentum into its next contest as the Trojans continue their push toward the postseason.  They'll take on Olympic College on Saturday at home with a 2:00pm tip off.