SWOCC Season Ends at NWAC Tournament Amidst Tough Competition

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SWOCC Season Ends at NWAC Tournament Amidst Tough Competition

The Southwestern Oregon Community College (SWOCC) men's basketball team saw its season come to a close on Thursday, bowing out of the Northwest Athletic Conference (NWAC) tournament with a 78-59 loss to Bellevue College in the quarterfinals held in Washington. The defeat dashed the Lakers' hopes of securing a second consecutive trip to the NWAC Final Four.

The Lakers, who were the runners-up in 2025, struggled to break through the formidable defense of the Bellevue Bulldogs. Bellevue, boasting an impressive season record with only two losses prior to this matchup, is now set to face Lower Columbia in the Final Four next week. Lower Columbia had previously defeated Treasure Valley, the East Region champion, with a decisive 96-74 victory.

SWOCC Head Coach Riley Grandinetti acknowledged the team's effort despite the outcome. "There's nothing to be ashamed of, we just ran out of gas," Grandinetti stated. He noted the fatigue that likely impacted the team after a hard-fought overtime victory against South Puget Sound the previous night in the Sweet 16. "It was a great win for us in the Sweet 16," Grandinetti reflected, "but we just ran into a very tough Bellevue team."

The contest remained competitive through the first half, with Bellevue holding a narrow 38-33 lead at halftime. However, the Bulldogs managed to pull away in the second half, fueled by strong offensive execution and sharp shooting. Bellevue finished the game shooting nearly 50% from the field (28-for-57) and converting 6 of their 12 three-point attempts. In contrast, SWOCC faced shooting challenges, managing only 23-for-58 from the floor and 8-for-23 from beyond the arc.

This game marked the final appearance for six sophomore players on the Lakers' roster: Jett Lundberg, Brighton Palmer, Connor Wilson, and MJ Tia, all of whom contributed nine points in their last outing. Quinton Christman and Kaison Herrmann were the other two sophomores playing their final game. For Bellevue, Josiah Johnson led all scorers with 29 points, supported by Will Woodward's 15 points and Isaiah White's 14 points.

The Lakers concluded their season by securing second place in the NWAC South Region. This season was particularly notable for Coach Grandinetti achieving his 100th career win and the team making its third consecutive appearance in the NWAC tournament, underscoring the program's consistent growth. "I’m just proud of this team and the six sophomores we had on the team," Grandinetti said. "They helped continue to build this program into a championship-caliber program." He added, "It was a great season, and I look forward to getting back on the recruiting trail and getting ready to go back at it next fall."

Bellevue stood as the sole region champion to advance to the Final Four. The South Region's other champion, Umpqua, also saw its tournament run end on Thursday, with the Riverhawks losing their opening game to Centralia 74-72. Lane remains the only team from the South Region still competing after a strong performance against West Region champions Green River, securing an 82-71 victory. The Titans are scheduled to play Edmonds in the quarterfinals on Friday.

Ekhbary News Agency