Thursday, February 19, 2015

Tritons Topple Top-Ranked Bellevue

A packed house watched a thriller Wednesday

LYNNWOOD – Triton sophomore Ian Tevis nailed a clutch 3-pointer to lift NWAC No. 2-ranked Edmonds over No. 1 Bellevue 84-81 Wednesday night in front of a packed house in Seaview Gymnasium. 

With the win EdCC improves to 21-5 overall, 8-2 in North Region play and handed the Bulldogs (23-3, 10-1) their first league loss of the year. The setback also snapped a 14-game BC win streak.

The two top-ranked squads split their two match ups this season, Bellevue beating EdCC 84-82 in an overtime thriller last month. Wednesday’s contest was just as action-packed.

Edmonds came out strong and grabbed an 8-2 lead three minutes into the contest and were ahead by 10 midway into the first half. The Bulldogs rallied and closed the gap to just two points at the 6:55 mark only to have the Tritons go on a 13-0 run. At the half it was Edmonds in front 40-31.

Bellevue scored the first eight points in the second stanza, thanks to a pair of 3-pointers by Dominque Jordan. Another trey by Jordan put BC in the lead 47-45 at 16:07.

The two sides traded leads for the next few minutes. The Tritons took a three-point lead at 8:23 after back-to-back buckets by Jas Coulson. Edmonds quickly shot ahead by 10 points after Coulson hit a three and another jumper. Sam Omondi capped the run with a bucket to make the score 75-65 EdCC at 4:01.  

BC wasn’t done, though. Jalen Ward hit a jumper and made two free throws. Don Holub followed with a 3-pointer and Edmond’s lead was just three points with 1:33 left. EdCC missed on four-consecutive free throws over the last minute and BC made two more and shrank the deficit to one point.

Zach Pederson snapped the Triton offensive drought with a layup with 23 ticks on the clock to give EdCC another three-point lead.  Jordan hit another clutch 3-pointer on the following possession to even the score at 81-81.

It seemed like the two squads might go to overtime for the second straight game but Destine Kawaka found Tevis deep behind the arc and the guard delivered the shot of the night with 1.4 seconds left.

Edmonds ended up shooting 53 percent from the field Wednesday and also made nine treys, but the Tritons were terrible at the free throw line, making just 5-of-17. The Bulldogs shot 47 percent and also made nine threes, but were good on 24-31 at the stripe.

Blake Fernandez paced Edmonds with 18 points and dished out three assists. Coulson added 15 points with Omondi and Tevis each contributing 11 points. Pederson and Smith both scored 10 points with Pederson pulling down 12 rebounds.

Jordan led all players with 22 points. Holub scored 21 in the BC loss with Ward adding 21 points.

The Tritons host Shoreline on Saturday with the tip-off scheduled for 7 p.m. Edmonds trails BC by one game in the standings and will need some help to claim the 2014-15 North Region title. Both teams have already qualified for the NWAC Championship Tournament.