MOSES LAKE — Walla Walla Community College’s men recovered from Wednesday’s one-point loss to Wenatchee by topping Big Bend, 79-68, in Northwest Athletic Conference East Region basketball action here Saturday.
Jake Albright came off the Warrior bench for 16 points and 16 rebounds.
“He’s just a big-bodied, hard-working kid,” WWCC coach Jeff Reinland said of the 6-foot-6 Albright. “He’s really improving as the season has gone on here.”
WWCC moved to 2-1 in East Region play and 12-4 overall entering an East Region home game against Yakima Valley at 4 p.m. Monday in the Dietrich Dome. Divisional action continues for the Warriors with a road game Wednesday at North Idaho.
Wenatchee, 3-0 in the East Region, upended WWCC, 75-74, last Wednesday.
“We gave it away at the end,” said Reinland of the Wenatchee loss. The Warriors have been hit by the flu bug as well.
“It’s just been a tough four or five days here,” Reinland said, “so this is a really big win against a good quality team.”
Landon Radliff tied Albright in scoring with 16 while teammates Brandon Porter (15) and Damen Thacker (11) rounded out a quartet of Warriors in double figures. Big Bend’s Miles Brown led all scorers with 17 on 7-for-11 shooting from the field.
WWCC shot 47.5 percent from the floor, but just 28.6 percent from beyond three-point line. Still, Marcus McKone, Radliff and Porter hit big threes down the stretch, Reinland said.
“We finally made some shots at the end of this game,” Reinland said.
Missed front ends of one-and-one free throw opportunities in the closing seconds doomed WWCC against Wenatchee.
WWCC 79, Big Bend 68
WWCC (79) — Porter 15, Thacker 11, Radliff 16. Watson 7, Engstrom 2, Tiller 2, Smith, Anderson 4, Kitchen, Ramos, Albright 16, McKone 6. Totals 28-56 17-22 79.
BIG BEND (68) — Smith 10, Huerta 15, Hawkins 8, Stowers 7, M. Brown 17, J. Brown, Dittman 5, Ahmann, Christensen 6, Henry, Kuiper. Totals 25-64 15-20 68.
Halftime — WWCC, 35-32. 3-point goals — WWCC 6, Big Bend 3. Total fouls — WWCC 17, Big Bend 18. Fouled out — Big Bend (Hawkins). Technical fouls — none. Rebounds — WWCC 41, Big Bend 32. Turnovers — WWCC 10, Big Bend 9. Assists — WWCC 8, Big Bend 9.
Union Bulletin
