Two games on the Saint Martin’s campus today, starting first with an opening day softball doubleheader against the University of British Columbia at 1:00 PM. Rick Noren’s Saints were 9-30 last season but have a lot of new faces and are expected to be better than they were last year in hist first season as head coach. The Thunderbirds are a member of the NAIA and were 23-20 last season.
The Saints men’s basketball team then hosts Western Washington at Marcus Pavilion. The Vikings are 19-3 overall and 10-1 in the GNAC and are ranked #16 in the NCAA Division II. The Vikings average 84 points per game and are led by Rory Blanche who is scoring 16.9 ppg. Tip-off is at 7:00 PM. SMUSaints.com has a full preview.
The Evergreen State Geoducks men and women host Concordia on Saturday night. The Lady Cavaliers come into the game at 7-16 overall and 3-10 in the Cascade Conference, just one game ahead of the Geoducks. On January 6th the Geoducks came up just a little bit short losing 60-59 behind 22 points from Danielle Swain. Tip-off is at 5:00 5:30 PM at the CRC Gymnasium.
The Evergreen men are still looking for their first conference win and only their second win overall and will have a tough time against Concordia, who last week knocked off the #1 team in the nation, Oregon Tech. The Cavaliers are coming off an 82-74 loss at Northwest University on Friday night and are just 5-8 in the CCC but knocked off the Geoducks by 23 points in their first meeting this season.
South Sound FC wrap up their home schedule on Saturday night against the PASL-Premier Northwest Division leading Kitsap Pumas who come into the game undefeated at 4-0-2. But the Shock pulled off the upset last week of the division leader beating WSA Rapids 12-9. Game time is at 7:00 PM at Tumwater Indoor Sports. Tickets are $5 at the door. For more information on the Shock, visit their website.
Men’s basketball
Warner Pacific 91, Evergreen 60 – More from Geoducks athletics
Women’s basketball
Warner Pacific 57, Evergreen 45 – More from Geoducks athletics
Boy’s basketball
Capital 45, Lincoln 43
Wilson 57, Timberline 47
Olympia 69, Mount Tahoma 49
Willapa Valley 55, Northwest Christian 44
Black Hills 86, Tumwater 79
Girl’s basketball
Tumwater 61, Black Hills 44
Olympia 77, Mount Tahoma 67 – OT
Wilson 82, Timberline 56
Lincoln 55, Capital 29
Willapa Valley 49, Northwest Christian 28
River Ridge 53, North Thurston 39
College baseball
Cal-Poly Pomona 20, Saint Martin’s 0 – More from SMUSaints.com
Bowling
Timberline is third in the 3A/2A state tournament after the first day trailing Mark Morris and Wilson. Black Hills is sixth.
The tenth ranked men’s team in the NAIA Division II comes to town on Friday night to take on the struggling Evergreen Geoducks. Warner Pacific is 10-2 in the Cascade Collegiate Conference and 18-5 overall. Meanwhile, the Geoducks have lost 17 straight games, are winless in conference and have just one win overall and were beaten by the Knights 93-67 in Portland on January 7th. Tip-off is set for 7:30 PM.
The Geoduck women also host Warner Pacific at the CRC Gymnasium on Friday night. The Knights are 9-3 in the CCC and 15-8 overall and have won eight straight games. Evergreen is just 2-11 in conference but have given good teams fits over the last couple of weeks including a near upset of #8 Eastern Oregon last Saturday night. Warner Pacific won the first match-up 70-55. Tip-off is at 5:00 PM.
The big high school game tonight is the North Thurston/River Ridge girl’s game. The two teams are tied for second place in the 2A EvCo just one game behind W.F. West. The Rams took the first meeting 44-42 on January 12th. Tip-off is at 7:30 at North Thurston.
Plenty of other high school games around town as well, here is the rest of the schedule…
Girl’s basketball
Black Hills at Tumwater – 6:00 PM
Mount Tahoma at Olympia – 7:00 PM
Boy’s basketball
Lincoln at Capital – 7:00 PM
Wilson at Timberline – 7:00 PM
Black Hills at Tumwater – 7:45
Men’s basketball
Simon Fraser 88, Saint Martin’s 85 – Game recap on SMUSaints.com
The Saints went on an 8-0 run that started with just 41 seconds left and they tied the game with four seconds left on a Ryan Votaw 3-pointer. But Justin Brown’s buzzer beating heave from half court went down and so did the Saints. Brown scored 35 points for the Clan who move to 2-9 in the GNAC while the Saints drop to 4-8 in conference. The Saints were led by Brok Pendleton’s 26 points and Jeremy Green added 25.
Women’s basketball
Simon Fraser 78, Saint Martin’s 48 – More from Simon Fraser Athletics
Boy’s basketball
River Ridge 67, North Thurston 63
River Ridge built a 17 point halftime lead and weathered North Thurston’s comeback attempt that included a 25-13 third quarter to pull even with the Rams at 8-3 in the 2A EvCo. Brad Wallace had 20 points for the Hawks, Micah Hardeman had 19 and Howie Harper added 14 in the win. The Rams two leaders, Landon Rushton and Ben Broeker scored 20 and 18 respectively.
Girl’s basketball
Raymond 51, Northwest Christian 43
Kami Bates had 19 points and Allison Sowers had 15 points on the Navigator’s senior night but it wasn’t enough to get past Raymond.
Big big big game tonight in Lacey when River Ridge hosts North Thurston. The Rams are in first place at 8-2 in the 2A Evergreen Conference but the Hawks are nipping at their heels just one game behind at 7-3. North Thurston won the first game 68-51 on January 13th behind 18 points each by seniors Landon Rushton and Ben Broeker. River Ridge’s Brad Wallace scored 20 in the first meeting. All three have had big games recently. Wallace scored 37 points against Tumwater on Tuesday, Broeker scored 36 against Black Hills on Tuesday and Rushton had 38 against Tumwater on Friday. Tip-off is set for 7:30.
In men’s basketball action, Saint Martin’s (8-12 overall, 4-7 GNAC) returns home to take on Simon Fraser (6-12 overall, 1-9 GNAC). The Saints scorched the Clan 90-68 in their first meeting in Burnaby, British Columbia on January 7th. Jeremy Green had 26 points and Brok Pendelton had 21. Simon Fraser features Cal Poly transfer Justin Brown – the GNAC’s fifth leading scorer at 15.7 points per game – at guard. The Saints’ Green is third at 17.4 ppg. Tip-off at Marcus Pavilion is at 7:00 PM.
It’s also senior night for the Northwest Christian girls when they take on Raymond at 7:15 PM. Raymond beat the Navigators 42-40 in their first meeting.
Men’s basketball
Clark 86, SPSCC 77 – More from ClarkPenguins.com (which is a ridiculously nice community college athletics website, by the way)
Women’s basketball
Clark 96, SPSCC 69 – More from ClarkPenguins.com
Boy’s basketball
Olympia 49, Gig Harbor 43
Lincoln 54, Timberline 43
Yelm 50, Capital 46
Girl’s basketball
Yelm 59, Capital 47
Timberline 64, Lincoln 47
Gig Harbor 53, Olympia 47
Light night around town tonight with only three games on the schedule. The Olympia boys are tied for the Narrows League lead with Bellarmine and host Gig Harbor tonight at 7:oo PM. The Bears beat the Tides 61-53 in Gig Harbor on January 6th.
In girl’s action, Capital hopes to notch their first 3A Narrows win when they host Yelm. On January 13th, the Tornados beat the Cougars by 40, 71-31. Across town, Lincoln visits second place Timberline. The Blazers beat the Abes 55-34 on January 13th in Tacoma.
Here’s the full schedule for tonight…
Boy’s basketball
Gig Harbor at Olympia – 7:00 PM
Girl’s basketball
Yelm at Capital – 7:00 PM
Lincoln at Timberline – 7:00 PM
I missed the SPSCC/Grays Harbor men’s and women’s games played on Monday night at SPSCC, my apologies.
The Choker women dropped the Clippers 65-63 to notch their first conference win of the season while the Clipper men worked over Grays Harbor 93-63. The Daily World has recaps for both games (women and men).
Boy’s basketball
North Thurston 61, Black Hills 59 – OT (or 67-63, depending on your source)
Raymond 68, Northwest Christian 59
River Ridge 80, Tumwater 68
Black Hills put a scare into North Thurston but Ben Broeker’s 36 points, including the first four points in overtime (according to @MegWochnick), kept the Rams from dropping a shocker to the Wolves. Meanwhile, River Ridge kept pace with the Rams with their victory over Tumwater. Brad Wallace had 37 points in the win and helped set up a game on Thursday between the second place Hawks at 7-3 and North Thurston with the league title on the line.
Girl’s basketball
River Ridge 59, Tumwater 46
Northwest Christian 49, South Bend 48
North Thurston 75, Black Hills 62
Ciara Williams had 24 points for North Thurston in their win over Black Hills and Kyahri Adams had 20 in River Ridge’s defeat of Tumwater setting up a game on Friday night between two 8-2 teams in the 2A EvCo with second place potentially on the line.
Biggest game on the docket tonight is in the 2A EvCo when the River Ridge boys host Tumwater with second place and keeping pace with North Thurston on the line. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:45 PM.
Here is the full schedule…
Boy’s basketball
Black Hills at North Thurston – 7:30 5:45
Tumwater at River Ridge – 7:45
King’s Way Christian at Pope John Paul II – at St. Michael’s – 7:00 PM
Girl’s basketball
Tumwater at River Ridge – 6:00 PM
Black Hills at North Thurston – 7:30 PM
Oly Sports 