EVERETT — The Peninsula College men are playing for the NWAC championship today.
The men blew open a back-and-forth close game with Linn-Benton on Saturday, going on a 10-2 run with 4:23 left in the game and turning a 70-65 lead into a near-insurmountable 80-67 lead with just over 2 minutes left to play. The men hit their free throws down the stretch, going on to win 89-75.
Trent Warren, playing in his next-to-last game for Peninsula, was huge during that run, hitting three free throws after being fouled on a 3-pointer, then moments later hitting a trey. Colby Jackson also made two buckets during the run.
The Pirates play North Idaho at 2:30 p.m. Sunday. You can watch that game online at nwacsports.org.
The Pirates had a balanced effort, with six players scoring in double figures.
Jackson led the team with 20 points, five assists and five rebounds. Forks’ Marky Adams had a solid game with 15 points and eight rebounds. Cameron Burton had 14 points and six steals, while Warren finished with 12 points on 3 for 5 shooting from beyond the arc.
Kaelin Crane scored 13 points and had seven rebounds, while Eli’sha Sheppard scored 10 points.
The Pirates’ free-throw shooting was oustanding as Peninsula shot 27 for 32 (84.4 percent) from the charity stripe.
The Pirates (22-10) are in the championship game despite being unranked in the NWAC at the end of the regular season. They finished second in the North Division during regular-season play. During the tournament, the men beat the No. 5-ranked team in the NWAC (S. Puget Sound) and the No. 7 team (Linn-Benton).
North Idaho beat the No. 2 team in the NWAC, Portland, 79-73, Saturday evening.
Peninsula 89, Linn-Benton 75
Peninsula 43 46— 89
L-B 40 35 — 75
Peninsula (89) — Jackson 20, Adams 15, Burton 14, Crane 13, Warren 12, Sheppard 10, Buckley 5.
Linn-Benton (75) — Jensen 17, Eckeet 10, Evers 9, Morsa 8, Getsfrid 6, Van Cleave 5, Davis 4, Flora 4, Sundquist 5, Harvey 4, Ismay 3.
