LEWISTON, ID – Lewis-Clark State Men’s Basketball found its footing with a strong second half to overcome a halftime deficit against Northwest (Wash.) on Friday. Sophomore Dylan Skaife turned in his second straight complete-game performance and Brandon Suber was a constant scoring force to help lift the Warriors over the Eagles by a final of 74-67.
Skaife led LC State with 16 points, seven rebounds, three assists and two steals while Suber added 15 points on a 6-for-7 night from the field. The Warriors shot 60.5% from the field, including a 63.2% mark in the second half.
“Proud of our guys for finding a way,” coach Austin Johnson said. “Trevor (Manning) helped steady us in the first half and I thought Josh’s (Salguero) physicality to open the second half were both a big lift. We continue to struggle with building leads but credit to our guys for making plays late and grinding out a win. We will need to take much better care of the basketball tomorrow against a dynamic Evergreen State team.”
The victory improves the LC State record to 13-4 overall and 7-2 in Cascade Conference play.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Josh Salguero and John Lustig started the back-and-forth first half before Brandon Suber and Skaife combined for seven straight points for an 11-6 advantage at 14:49. Suber added another five consecutive points for a 19-10 lead by 12:47, and tallies by Grayson Hunt and Trevor Manning kept the difference at eight, 27-19, at 7:22.
Northwest surged for a 10-1 run to take a 29-28 lead at 4:11. A three-point play by Hunt, free throw by Suber and triple by Manning had the score tied 35-35 with 90 seconds left in the half, but the Eagles ended the frame on a five-point run to pull in front 40-35.
Lustig and Jamare’ Childs tied the game 40-40 in the first minute of the second half, and free throws by Salguero and Peyton Nordland put the Warriors back in front for good by 16:19.
With Northwest within five, 57-52, midway through the half, Suber sparked a short run that Skaife capped with five straight points to grow the margin to 64-52 at 8:34. The Eagles threatened again with a rally to cut the difference to three at 4:31, but baskets by Skaife and Suber kept the lead at five points into the final minute. Nordland and Skaife closed out the contest with free throws.
STAT RECAP
Skaife led LC State with 16 points on a 3-for-6 night from 3-point range. He grabbed seven rebounds to go with three assists and two steals. Suber added 15 points on a 6-for-7 night from the field, and Hunt tallied 11 points. Manning scored seven points on 3-for-4 shooting.
Lustig grabbed five rebounds with eight points in his return to the court and Salguero added nine points with a team-high five free throws.
The Warriors shot 60.5% from the field (26-for-43) and made 17 free throws. LC State went 12-for-19 from the field in the second half.
Northwest’s Lucius Fox led the contest with 18 points and Christian Watkins scored 13 with three steals. Rashid Potter grabbed seven rebounds.
