South Puget Sound Community College Rallies Hard Against Tacoma Community College

Despite a late charge, the South Puget Sound Community College (SPSCC) men's basketball team fell to visiting Tacoma Community College, 78-70, in a Northwest Athletic Conference West Region matchup on February 26 at the Health & Wellness Center.

The Clippers (3-19 overall, 1-10 conference) had four players score in double digits with O'Shae Barquet scoring a team-high 17 points. SPSCC also received 11 points from both Justin Hicks and Mekhi Speller-Hale and 10 points from Hayden Wakefield.

Hicks paced the Clippers with seven rebounds, while Aaron Alexander added six boards, helping SPSCC hold a slim 35-34 rebounding advantage over the Titans (14-8, 9-2).

Tacoma led 36-28 at the half and saw its lead balloon to 20 points at 57-37 with 13 1/2 minutes remaining in the contest. A Wakefield 3 with 7 minutes to play capped a 12-2 run by the Clippers, which trimmed the deficit to 10 points. SPSCC was able to hold the Titans without a field goal over the final 3 1/2 minutes, but Tacoma was able to make 17 trips to the free-throw line, making six attempts, to hold off the Clippers' rally.

SPSCC will play its next two games at home, beginning with Green River College on Wednesday, March 2 before hosting Lower Columbia College on Saturday, March 5. The Clippers close out the regular season at Pierce College on Wednesday, March 9.