CBC women on a roll heading into NWAC semifinals. Men’s games start today

Trinidie Nichols may be a freshman, but she plays like a wily veteran on the basketball court, especially when it’s needed.

Nichols scored 14 of her team-high 26 points in the key fourth quarter on Thursday to lead Columbia Basin College to beat Umpqua 70-65 in the Northwest Athletic Conference women’s basketball quarterfinals on the CBC campus.

With the win, the Hawks (22-5) will play Green River Community College (23-3) next Saturday, March 18, in the women’s semifinals at CBC. It will be a 1 p.m. tip-off.

“I love this team,” said Nichols, who prepped at Post Falls High School in Idaho. “We’re a hard working group. We’re all in this together. And that’s why I love this team.”

CBC coach Amy Sokaitis also loves this squad. And it seems Nichols leads the way.

“I’m glad she’s on my team,” said Sokaitis. “She’s a competitor. One of the most competitive players I’ve had.”

The Hawks jumped out quickly to a 21-7 lead over the Riverhawks. And they held a 39-29 lead at the half, thanks to CBC’s other clutch-shooting guard, Lexie Heath.

Heath sank five 3-point field goals in the first half and had 17 points at intermission.

But everyone knew Umpqua would make a run.

“Coach told us at halftime that (Umpqua) would shoot their way back into the game,” said Nichols.

Which is what happened.

The Riverhawks opened the third quarter with a 13-0 run, and a 3-point play by Victoria Hollingshead at the end of that run gave Umpqua a 42-39 lead.

“I think we got a bit rattled,” said Nichols. “But we settled down. Coach took a timeout and told us to lock in (defensively).”

By the time the fourth quarter started, Umpqua had a 50-46 lead.

But over the next 5 minutes and 35 seconds, the Hawks defense began to stifle Umpqua on the offensive end.

Meantime, CBC exploded in that time with a 13-3 run, and Umpqua could never recover.

Nichols had a key steal on the press that she turned into 2 points with a short runner.

With 1:46 to play, the Hawks’ Makenna Brandner sent a quick bounce pass to a cutting Nichols, who scored with a reverse layup. She was fouled on the play, and completed the and-1 free throw to put an exclamation point on the game.

“It was a great play,” said Sokaitis. “We’ve run that motion offense since the fall.”

Except, added Nichols, it’s usually reversed.

“It’s usually me passing it to her,” said Nichols. “Makenna and I saw each other with our eyes and knew we would make the play.”

Nichols finished with the 26 points, added 6 rebounds, 9 assists and 3 steals. Heath finished with 20 points, 5 rebounds and 4 assists.

Hollingshead would lead all scorers with 30 points. She also had 16 rebounds and 4 blocked shots.

GREEN RIVER 83, CLACKAMAS 79: Janae Kalama scored 18 points, grabbed 6 rebounds and dished off 4 assists to help the Gators (23-3) earned the right to play CBC in the semifinals next week.

Bayleigh Harden added 19 points and 7 rebounds for Green River. Kylie Fernstrom led Clackamas (23-6) with 23 points and 9 rebounds.

WALLA WALLA 68, LOWER COLUMBIA 41: Paige Pentzer led WWCC with 14 points and 11 rebounds as the Warriors (22-7) advance to the quarterfinals.

Teammate Emma Leber added 14 points and three blocked shots. Lower Columbia (19-9) was paced by Aivine Soakai with 12 points.

PENINSULA 79, LINN-BENTON 76: Ituau Tuisaula had a double-double of 22 points and 14 rebounds, as Peninsula (21-4) advanced to the quarterfinals. Teammate Chasity Selden added 17 points and 3 assists.

Linn-Benton (21-7) was led by Brooklyn Hankwitz, who had 17 points.

NORTH IDAHO 67, SOUTH PUGET SOUND 55: Solei Elletson led North Idaho (17-11) with 18 points and 8 rebounds, while teammate Meghan Calley added 11 points.

Share Trotter led SPS (19-8) with 19 points, 10 rebounds, 5 assists and 6 steals.

LANE 85, BELLEVUE 46: Bella Hamel, headed to the University of Oregon next season, scored 23 points and grabbed 8 rebounds to lead the Titans (29-1) to the win. Sarah Bell added 14 points and 11 rebounds.

Helena Van Ess scored 11 points, had 4 assists and 3 steals for Bellevue (16-11).

Scores and schedule

Thursday, March 9

Game 5 — Walla Walla 68, Lower Columbia 41

Game 6 — Peninsula 79, Linn-Benton 76

Game 7 — North Idaho 67, South Puget Sound 55

Game 8 — Lane 85, Bellevue 46

Game 9 —Quarterfinal, Green River 83, Clackamas 79

Game 10 — Quarterfinal, Columbia Basin 70, Umpqua 65

Friday, March 10

Game 11 — Walla Walla vs. Peninsula, 2 p.m.

Game 12 — North Idaho vs. Lane, 4 p.m.

Saturday, March 18

Game 13 — Green River vs. Columbia Basin, 1 p.m.

Game 14 — Winner 11 vs. winner 12, 3 p.m.

Men’s NWAC tournament

The men’s portion of the tournament kicks off on Friday with four contests. Here is the next two days’ worth of schedule, all at CBC:

Friday, March 10

Game 1 — Edmonds vs. Walla Walla, 10 a.m.

Game 2 — Clackamas vs. South Puget Sound, 12 p.m.

Game 3 — Everett vs. Spokane, 6 p.m.

Game 4 — Lower Columbia vs. Umpqua, 8 p.m.

Saturday, March 11

Game 5 — Southwestern Oregon vs. Green River, 10 a.m.

Game 6 — Peninsula vs. Columbia Basin, 12 p.m.

Game 7 — Tacoma vs. Linn-Benton, 6 p.m.

Game 8 — North Idaho vs. Bellevue, 8 p.m.

Game 9 — Winner 1 vs. winner 2, 2 p.m.

Game 10 — Winner 3 vs. winner 4, 4 p.m.

Ticket prices

Adults $17 digital/$19 on-site (cash)

Students and senior citizens $9 digital/$10 on-site (cash), must show ID

Kids ages 7-12 $7 digital/$8 on-site (cash)

Kids 6 and under free

Military free (must show ID)