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PORTLAND -- Even though they trailed Cascade by two at halftime, the Lewis-Clark State Warriors didn't panic.
Instead, they focused on executing their game plan in the second half. And they found success, slowly pulling away from the Thunderbirds to win 78-64 on Friday night in the first round of a men's basketball tournament staged by Cascade.
Lewis-Clark State today will face the only team it has lost to this season, squaring off with Lewis and Clark at 5 p.m. in the tournament's second round.
"We competed really hard for 48 minutes," L-C coach George Pfeifer said. "We knuckled down in the second half and executed great."
Four Warriors scored in double figures. Dustin Endsley led the way with 16, followed by Adam Trombley with 15, Danny Allen with 13 and Joey Ray with 10.
"Endsley was tremendous on both ends of the floor," Pfeifer said. "He guarded whoever had the hot hand between (Levi) Westgaard and (Jared) Alsup. He put water on those fires."
Chris Pitts made a key contribution off the bench for L-C, getting most of his minutes in the second half. "He was a defensive presence," Pfeifer said.
Trombley, unhappy with his first-half play, turned up the heat in the final 24 minutes.
"I was pleased with the total team deal," Pfeifer added. "I played 11 guys, and all but one had double-digit minutes. There was no drop off. They contributed on both ends of the court."
Pfeifer said Cascade's cinder-block gym is an "extremely tough place to play," adding that the echoing acoustics make it hard to hear.
About today's opponent, Pfeifer said "It'll be a war." He said Lewis and Clark has a unique style of play and a patient defense, and has been to the national tournament the past eight or nine years, with its lowest finish being the "Elite Eight."
The Warriors, 8-1, lost 86-68 to Lewis and Clark in a tournament at Seattle University in November.
LEWIS-CLARK STATE (8-1)
Allen 4-6 3-5 13, Ray 4-7 1-1 10, Idoko 3-5 0-2 6, Endsley 5-13 4-5 16, Tikker 0-2 0-0 0, Frazier 2-5 0-0 6, Ball 2-3 1-2 6, Pecht 1-3 0-0 2, Hansen 0-3 0-0 0, Pitts 2-3 0-0 4, Trombley 6-8 3-6 15. Totals 29-58 12-21 78.
CASCADE (3-7)
Westgaard 6-13 3-4 17, Franz 0-2 0-0 0, Cokley 3-8 5-9 11, Alsup 9-15 3-6 25, Rylaarsdam 3-6 2-2 8, Smith 0-1 0-0 0, Moore 1-2 1-1 3. Totals 22-47 14-25 64.
Halftime score -- Cascade 32, L-C 30. Three-point goals -- L-C 8-16 (Allen 2-4, Ray 1-3, Endsley 2-3, Tikker 0-2, Frazier 2-3, Ball 1-1), Cascade 6-18 (Westgaard 2-7, Cokley 0-3, Alsup 3-6, Rylaarsdam 0-1, Moore 1-1). Rebounds -- L-C 37 (Idoko 7, Endsley 7), Cascade 35 (Rylaarsdam 11). Assists -- L-C 7 (Ball 3), Cascade 14 (Rylaarsdam 5). Total fouls -- L-C 21, Cascade 19. Fouled out -- Pecht, Rylaarsdam. A-525.
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