KENNEWICK — The Clark College men’s basketball team dominated Treasure Valley in the first round of the Northwest Athletic Conference tournament.
The Penguins (22-6) held the lead throughout the entire game, and steamrolled the Chukars 74-30 on Saturday at the Toyota Center.
Treasure Valley was unable to score for the first four minutes of the game, and Clark was able to keep them to three points for 12 minutes. The Penguins finished the first half leading 36-14.
“These guys didn’t want to settle,” Clark head coach Alex Kirk said of his team. “They prepared a lot this week, and it shows. All of their hard work has really paid off.”
The Penguins defense kept its pressure on for the full 40 minutes. Clark had 41 rebounds, five blocked shots, 12 steals and forced Treasure Valley (14-14) into 20 turnovers.
Clark’s Bryan Berg and Evan Garrison lead with 13 points each, with Garrison contributing five assists. (Click here for complete boxscore)
“We came out here not looking to score,” Berg said. “We knew that if we came out with a strong defense that our offense would come into alignment. Our defense really set the tone.”
Clark broke a 45-year-old record for largest margin of victory in an NWAC tournament game, set by the 1970 Clark team (42 points).
Clark’s Hayden Hall knows the importance of setting the standard for all the other teams within a tournament.
“The score is not going to be unseen. Teams are going to see the statement that we made, and know that we are here to play,” he said. “We call it stepping on the gas, shots just continued to fall.”
The Penguins will take on Bellevue College at 4 p.m. today. The Bulldogs (26-4) defeated Umpqua 69-52 on Saturday night.
“(Bellevue) is probably one of the best teams in the tournament,” Kirk said. “They are good, but our guys have come in prepared today, and I know they will tomorrow.”
