Bellingham Slam top Volcanoes, 126-104

The Vancouver Volcanoes couldn’t gain any ground on the defending International Basketball League champion Bellingham Slam on Friday.

The Volcanoes saw their five-game win streak end with a 126-104 loss to the Slam at Whatcom Pavilion.

Bellingham (13-2) maintained its position atop the IBL standings and Vancouver (12-4) slipped a bit closer to Portland (12-5) with three games remaining before the playoffs.

Chehales Tapscott scored 22 points and had 13 rebounds for Vancouver, and Mike Ward also scored 22 points, but it wasn’t nearly enough against Bellingham’s deeper roster.

Jacob Stevenson had 30 points for the Slam, leading six Slam players in double figures.

Vancouver was outrebounded 62-49, and shot just 43.2 percent from the floor.

Vancouver will next face the Seattle Flight on Sunday at Pierce College in Lakewood.

BELLINGHAM SLAM 126, VANCOUVER VOLCANOES 104

VANCOUVER (12-4) — Ward 8-18 3-6 22, Bloodsaw 3-10 1-3 7, Rocket 0-2 0-0 0, Tapscott 8-17 6-6 22, Highland 3-8 0-0 6, Murray 7-12 1-2 19, Lozeau 5-7 1-2 11, Hafford 4-14 7-7 17. Totals 38-88 19-26 104.

BELLINGHAM (13-2) — Webb 6-10 1-1 15, Ferguson 0-2 0-0 0, Anderson 2-11 3-5 7, Ready 7-14 2-4 17, Stevenson 12-19 5-6 30, Kok 1-6 3-4 5, Moore 6-8 4-4 16, Matteson 6-14 2-2 14, Poole 9-18 2-4 22. Totals 49-102 22-30 126.

Vancouver 22 26 29 27–104

Bellingham 35 35 30 26–126