The Chinooks out-scrapped Vancouver all night, found answers for every run, and continually found ways to score in the final five minutes — either by hitting tough shots or getting to the foul line — as Portland held off Vancouver 142-135 at Clark College.

The loss was just the third for the Volcanoes (12-3) this International Basketball League season, and came after Vancouver slipped past Portland by a combined five points in the last two meetings. But this time, behind a 44-point night from Larry Smith and 40 points from David Lucas, the Chinooks (6-9) kept Vancouver fighting from behind for the final three quarters before pulling away at the end.

“We weren’t doing the extra things we need to do, working as hard as we probably need to work,” said Troupe, who had 25 points for Vancouver. “That’s our fourth time playing these guys. They wanted to beat us probably really, really bad. They probably came in with a chip on their shoulder.”

Kevin Tyner scored 32 points to lead the Volcanoes, who entered the game with the IBL’s second-best record. But Vancouver struggled on Friday to find the form that produced 12 wins in its previous 13 games.

The Chinooks found enough answers to maintain a safe margin each time the Volcanoes started to build momentum. Smith scored the majority of his points off his nine 3-pointers, and after Vancouver built a 35-29 lead by ending the first quarter on a 10-0 run, Lucas answered with a 26-point second quarter that pushed Portland back in front.

“He dominates,” Volcanoes coach Theo Evans said. “He’s gonna get his points. He makes it tough, because a lot of times you’re trying so hard that you end up fouling him and he goes to the line.”

Vancouver pulled within 128-126 with 2:39 remaining, but defensive breakdowns kept it from pulling ahead. The Chinooks scored on 13 of their final 15 possessions. Three of those scores came off second-chance opportunities, while 13 of Portland’s final 25 points were scored at the free-throw line.

“Defensively our intensity was not there,” Troupe said. “The ball wasn’t bouncing our way and we weren’t making plays. We weren’t doing the extra things we need to do, working as hard as we probably need to work.”