CBC men’s and women’s teams in NWAC basketball championship tournaments
For the second consecutive year, the Northwest Athletic Conference basketball championships are being held on the Columbia Basin College Pasco campus.
The tournaments — both men’s and women’s events have 16 teams each — run over two weeks.
What’s great for Mid-Columbia basketball enthusiasts is that CBC has qualified both of its teams again.
The Hawks women, coached by Amy Sokaitis, have been dominant all year. And according to the NWAC coaches, CBC is coming in as the favored team with a 23-2 record after being ranked No. 1 in the latest poll.
The Hawks were a perfect 14-0 in East Region play.
Trinidie Nichols leads CBC in three major statistical categories: points at 17.0 per game; 5.3 assists; and 3.6 steals. The sophomore also grabs 5.6 rebounds per game.
Other top players have been sophomore Lexie Heath at 14.9 points and 1.6 steals; sophomore Erin Morgan at 12.0 points and a team-best 7.3 rebounds; Kenzie Pedersen at 10.2 points, 6.1 rebounds and 1.8 assists; and Jayauna Keister with 1.7 assists and 2.3 steals.
Sokaitis’ team doesn’t open tournament play until 12 p.m. Saturday, against Portland Community College.
CBC men
Meanwhile, the Columbia Basin College men’s basketball team placed second in the East Region with a 19-8 record (11-3 in East play).
The men’s tournament begins on Wednesday, March 6, and the Hawks will open the event against the West No. 3 seed, South Puget Sound, at 12 p.m. Wednesday.
Leading the way for the Hawks is sophomore Ta’Veus Randle (Belgrade, Mont.), who leads the team in scoring at 22.4 points a game. He’s also No. 1 in assists at 3.0 a game, and averages 5.6 rebounds and 2.1 steals.
Other standouts include sophomore Jayden Martinez (Chiawana) averaging 12.4 points; sophomore LaTrell Barker (Phoenix, Ariz.) with 12.8 points and 8.6 rebounds; and sophomore Javon Handcox (Walla Walla) with 10.2 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 2.1 steals.
NWAC women’s all-stars
CBC got the major awards as the East Region all-stars were announced Monday.
Nichols was named East MVP, while Sokaitis is coach of the Year.
Heath was named to the East first team, as was Walla Walla’s Brielle Magnuson and Dylan Lovett, and Yakima Valley’s Paris Wilson (a Sunnyside grad) and Alina Sapilak.
CBC’s Pedersen was named to the second team, as was Walla Walla’s Paige Pentzer and Spokane’s Keely Maves (who played last season for Walla Walla CC).
Walla Walla’s Magnuson was named East Freshman of the Year, while her teammate, Pentzer, was East Defensive Player of the Year.
Both Nichols and Pedersen were named to the All-Defensive team for CBC, as was YVC’s Wilson.
NWAC men’s all-stars
The NWAC announced its region all-stars on Monday, and the CBC men are well represented on the East Region squad.
Randle and Barker were named to the first team.
Yakima Valley sophomore Javonte Darrett was named East Region MVP, while Treasure Valley’s James Jansen was Coach of the Year.
Other players on the first team are Walla Walla’s Brady Grier and Luke Holecek, as well as Treasure Valley’s Tre’Von Cason.
Holecek was also named Freshman of the Year, while Treasure Valley’s Ashraf Barsham was Defensibve Player of the Year.
CBC’s Randle was named to the All-Defensive Team, as was Wenatchee Valley sophomore Diego Gutierrez, a Pasco High graduate.
Skagit Valley sophomore Jacob Bilodeau, a Kamiakin grad, was named to the North Region all-defensive team.
NWAC MEN’S TOURNAMENT
At Columbia Basin College, Pasco
All games loser out
Wednesday, March 6
Game 1 — E2 Columbia Basin (19-8) vs. W3 South Puget Sound (18-11), 12 p.m.
Game 2 — N4 Peninsula (15-14) vs. S1 Portland (23-4), 2 p.m.
Game 3 — W2 Green River (23-6) vs. E3 Spokane (16-13), 4 p.m.
Game 4 — S4 Lane (13-15) vs. N1 Edmonds (21-8), 6 p.m.
Thursday, March 7
Game 5 — N2 Skagit Valley (24-5) vs. S3 Linn-Benton (15-13), 10 a.m.
Game 6 — E4 Walla Walla (17-12) vs. W1 Lower Columbia (25-3), 12 p.m.
Game 7 — S2 Southwestern Oregon (23-6) vs. N3 Everett (18-10), 6 p.m.
Game 8 — W4 Tacoma (20-9) vs. E1 Treasure Valley (23-6), 8 p.m.
Game 9 — Winner 1 vs. winner 2, 2 p.m.
Game 10 — Winner 3 vs. winner 4, 4 p.m.
Friday, March 8
Game 11 — Winner 5 vs. winner 6, 2 p.m.
Game 12 — Winner 7 vs. winner 8, 4 p.m.
Saturday, March 16
Game 13 — Winner 9 vs. winner 10, noon
Game 14 — Winner 11 vs. winner 12, 2 p.m.
Sunday, March 17
Game 15 — Championship, winner 13 vs. winner 14, 2 p.m.
NWAC WOMEN’S TOURNAMENT
At Columbia Basin College, Pasco
All games loser out
Friday, March 8
Game 1 — S2 Umpqua (25-4) vs. E3 Yakima Valley (14-11), 10 a.m.
Game 2 — W4 Centralia (14-13) vs. N1 Peninsula (21-2), 12 p.m.
Game 3 — E2 Walla Walla (20-7) vs. S3 Clackamas (21-6), 6 p.m.
Game 4 — N4 Bellevue (11-18) vs. W1 Lower Columbia (21-6), 8 p.m.
Saturday, March 9
Game 5 — W2 Green River (20-7) vs. N3 Shoreline (19-8), 10 a.m.
Game 6 — S4 Portland (22-6) vs. E1 Columbia Basin (23-2), 12 p.m.
Game 7 — N2 Edmonds (18-7) vs. W3 Pierce (12-14), 6 p.m.
Game 8 — E4 Treasure Valley (12-16) vs. S1 Lane (26-2), 8 p.m.
Game 9 — Winner 1 vs. winner 2, 2 p.m.
Game 10 — Winner 3 vs. winner 4, 4 p.m.
Saturday, March 10
Game 11 — Winner 5 vs. winner 6, 2 p.m.
Game 12 — Winner 7 vs. winner 8, 4 p.m.
Saturday, March 16
Game 13 — Winner 9 vs. winner 10, 5 p.m.
Game 14 — Winner 11 vs. winner 12, 7 p.m.
Sunday, March 17
Game 15 — Championship, winner 13 vs. winner 14, 4:45 p.m.
Jeff Morrow is former sports editor for the Tri-City Herald.
