Ben Pawlak's lay-up wins it for Cascade
Cascade Notches First-Ever Win at C of I
CALDWELL, Idaho - A Ben Pawlak driving lay-up with 40-seconds remaining gave Cascade College the lead for good, as the visiting Thunderbirds won for the first time ever in Caldwell, knocking off The College of Idaho, 60-57, in the J.A. Albertson Activities Center.
An 8-0 run early in the second half broke a 34-34 tie, with the T-Birds (11-7, 4-6 CCC), playing their fourth game in five days, holding the margin until Bryan Champ canned a trey with a minute left to put the Coyotes up 57-56. However, Pawlak took the ball at the top of the key, drove down the left side of the lane, and spun up the eventual winner.
The Coyotes (11-9, 7-3), who had won the last 18 meetings with the Portland school, had two chances to win the game - Brian Bergerson missing a trey with 31 seconds left, and after an offensive rebound, Champ hit the back-iron with a trey with six seconds remaining, with the T-Birds hitting free throws to seal the win.
Pawlak led the T-Birds with 13 points, Erving Adams added 12 points and eight rebounds, with Boise native Jared Mace scoring ten. Cascade won despite scoring their lowest output of the season - 27 points below their season average.
Steffen Spinks led the Yotes with 15 points, with Craig McGee recording his fifth-straight double-double with 11 points and 13 rebounds, but the duo combined to make 3-of-12 shots from the foul line. As a team, The C of I connected on just 5-of-28 shots from outside the arc - including 2-of-17 in the second half.
The two teams will not wait long for a rematch, as the Yotes will travel to Cascade on Friday night, with the tip-off scheduled for 7:30 p.m. (PST)