Clippers Win Two Games at NWAC Crossover

BELLEVUE, Wash. - Men's basketball visited Bellevue, Washington, for the 2022 NWAC Men's Basketball Crossover Tournament hosted by Bellevue College. Each year the Northwest Athletic Conference selects regional sites that will host a three-day tournament featuring teams from each of the NWAC's four regions. Bellevue College's site featured the host school Bellevue College, which placed second in the NWAC tournament last season, and Portland Community College and Wenatchee Valley College.

South Puget Sound faced off with Portland on the tournament's opening night. The Clippers flexed their defensive muscle against Portland, holding the Panthers to 37.1 percent shooting, including 25 percent from three. Jackie Simmons led the Clippers with 17 points off the bench, including three three-point field goals. Jazen Guillory continued his impressive freshman campaign with his first career double-double, posting ten points and ten rebounds in 30 minutes.

Friday afternoon saw the Clippers take on the Knights of Wenatchee Valley College. The Knights entered the contest looking for their first win against an NWAC opponent this season. The Clippers were prepared for the challenge, though, as they utilized a zone offense to slow down the Knights' scoring. SPSCC entered halftime with an eleven-point lead behind the strong play of Alejandro Cybak and his 18 points and nine rebounds. The Knights rallied to start the second half, but the Clippers responded with a run of their own. Jazen Guillory and Jason Montes led the second-half surge with 20 and 14 points, respectively. The Clippers outrebounded the Knights 47 to 31, including Guillory and Montes, each adding six rebounds. South Puget Sound used the rebounding advantage to edge the Knights 80-67.

Day three of the tournament featured the Clippers facing off with the host-team Bellevue College Bulldogs. Bellevue opened the contest with a barrage of threes which gave them a comfortable lead, and they would continue to make shots at a high percentage, shooting 67.6 percent from the field and 50 percent from three in the first half. However, when you pair the Bulldog's hot shooting with the Clipper's six first-half turnovers, it leads to an uphill battle in the second half of the game. The Clippers responded with better energy and effort but came up short 87-69. Jason Montes led the Clippers with 18 points and five rebounds.

Next up:
The Clippers will host Clark College on December 30th at 2:00 PM on campus at South Puget Sound. A live stream will be available on the NWAC Sports Network.