CBC men’s, women’s basketball teams just keep pounding their East Region foes
The Columbia Basin College men’s and women’s basketball teams have been dominating NWAC East Region play so far this month by pounding their opponents into submission.
The CBC men sit atop the standings, tied with Yakima Valley with 4-0 records.
The Hawks are 12-5 overall after beating Wenatchee Valley 99-82 on Wednesday night on the road.
In that win, Javon Handcox led CBC with 24 points, while Ta’Veus Randle added 19 points, 6 rebounds and 5 assists.
Altogether, CBC had five players in double-figure scoring in the victory.
The most recent NWAC coaches poll also came out this week, with the CBC men ranked No. 6. Skagit Valley is the top-ranked team in the NWAC.
Anthony Owens, CBC men’s head coach, likes this team.
“They’re a never-quitting team,” said Owens, who adds they need a bit more of the killer instinct. “They’ve gotten up in a lot of games, as much as 22 points. But then we let them back in the game. These guys battle back to win.”
So far, things have worked well.
“I’ll be happy if I’m making sure my guys play the right way every single night, win lose or draw,” Owens said.Meanwhile, the CBC women have been more impressive.
The Hawks sit in first place in the East Region standings with a 4-0 record (13-2 overall), and Amy Sokaitis’ team is handling each opponent well.
CBC is ranked tied for No. 2 with Lane in the latest NWAC coaches poll this week. Umpqua is No. 1.
In the Hawks’ latest victory, a 93-32 verdict over Wenatchee Valley on the road Wednesday night, Trinidie Nichols led the way with 20 points and 7 steals. Teammate Kenzi Pedersen added 19 points and 8 rebounds.
The Hawks advanced all the way to the NWAC semifinals before seeing their season end. But they were mostly freshmen.
“We return four to five starters,” said Sokaitis. “I knew we would be good. But I never knew how good until we got on the floor. We share the ball well, and we have good offensive spacing.”
She said the strength of this team is that on any game night, anyone could lead the Hawks in scoring.
“We could have someone come off of the bench and score 20,” Sokaitis said.
The Hawks, she added, are getting everyone’s best punch.
“What I like is that these kids compete, and they want to win. It’s not a me, me, me team,” said Sokaitis. “They got a taste of success last year. I think they saw what it takes to do well in the NWAC.”
That’s good, because the NWAC tournament returns to CBC in March.
The Hawks will host Blue Mountain on Saturday, Jan. 27.
Women play at 2 p.m.; men start at 4 p.m.
NWAC EAST REGION MEN
Through games of Jan. 24Columbia Basin 4-0 East, 12-5 overall
Yakima Valley 4-0, 8-5Treasure Valley 3-0, 13-5
Spokane 2-3, 10-10
Big Bend 1-3, 5-13
Blue Mountain 1-3, 3-15
Walla Walla 1-4, 11-9
Wenatchee Valley 1-4, 5-13
Jan. 20 — Blue Mountain at Big Bend, ppd.; Columbia Basin 74, WWCC 69; Spokane 94, WVCC 67; Yakima Valley at Treasure Valley, ppd.
Jan. 24 — Columbia Basin 99, Wenatchee Valley 82; Spokane 82, Blue Mountain 70; Treasure Valley 91, Walla Walla 82; Yakima Valley 94, Big Bend 73
Jan. 27 — Blue Mountain at Columbia Basin, 4 p.m.; Walla Walla at Big Bend, 4 p.m.; Wenatchee Valley at Treasure Valley, 3 p.m.; Yakima Valley at Spokane, 4 p.m.
NWAC EAST REGION WOMEN
Through games of Jan. 24
Columbia Basin 4-0 East, 13-2 overall
Walla Walla 4-1, 12-6
Blue Mountain 3-1, 7-8
Treasure Valley 2-1, 7-7
Spokane 2-3, 7-9
Yakima Valley 1-3, 7-8
Big Bend 1-3, 8-11
Wenatchee Valley 0-5, 3-13
Jan. 20 — Blue Mountain at Big Bend, ppd.; Columbia Basin 72, Walla Walla 57; Spokane 65, Wenatchee Valley 61; Yakima Valley at Treasure Valley, ppd.
Jan. 24 — Big Bend 71, Yakima Valley 64; Blue Mountain 57, Spokane 46; Columbia Basin 93, Wenatchee Valley 32; Walla Walla 67, Treasure Valley 54
Jan. 27 — Blue Mountain at Columbia Basin, 2 p.m.; Walla Walla at Big Bend, 2 p.m.; Wenatchee Valley at Treasure Valley, 1 p.m.; Yakima Valley at Spokane, 2 p.m.
Girls basketball
Steve Davis hasn’t coached girls basketball in a few years. But that didn’t stop the Washington State Girls Basketball Coaches Association from naming him to the group’s 2024 Hall of Fame.
The 2024 induction class — which also includes Mike Arte (Gonzaga Prep), Dale Poffenroth (Central Valley), Robi Raab (East Valley-Yakima) and Jim Redmon (Lewis & Clark) — will be honored on March 23 in Moses Lake.
Davis spent 18 seasons on the sidelines, coaching first at Pasco High from 2001-09 with a 148-54 record; then at Chiawana from 2009-19 for a 195-53 mark.
Altogether, that’s a 343-107 record, according to Parker Hodge’s website.
Notes
Sophomore middle blocker Abigail Beaton (Chiawana) was named the NWAC East Region Most Valuable Player for the 2023 volleyball season.
Beaton was a standout on the North Idaho volleyball team in both kills (256) and blocks (69).
▪ Pasco senior Alexander Barajas won an individual title at 144 pounds to help the Bulldogs finish third as a team at the Cadet Classic in Yakima on Dec. 16.
Other area champs were two Sunnyside wrestlers: senior Samuel Gonzalez (157) and sophomore Zaiden Gonzalez (113).
Jeff Morrow is former sports editor for the Tri-City Herald.
