The Clark College basketball teams came up short in a NWAC West division action Saturday in Longview.
The Clark men lost to Lower Columbia 80-76, and the Clark women came up short as well, 80-68.
MEN: Clark kept it close over the final 10:30 of the game, but LCC was able to hold off the Penguins’ charge.
“When we don’t come with the necessary intensity, we struggle with our footing,” Clark coach Alex Kirk said. “Everytime we were close, they would hit back-breaking shots.”
Clark was within two points twice in the final 30 seconds.
Paulo Giacomelli finished a fast break to make it 76-74, and a layup by Evan Garrison made it 78-76 with 15.6 to play.
Garrison finished with a team-high 23 points, six rebounds and four assists.
WOMEN: Caylee Newsom scored a team-high 22 points for the Penguins (6-4, 1-1 West), who rallied from a 20-point deficit but just couldn’t catch up.
Alexa Orcutt had 19 points, 15 in the first half and was 10-for-10 from the free-throw line. Taylor Howlett had 12 points and eight assists.
“It was a moral victory for us because we battled back from down 20 and go within single digits a couple of times,” Clark coach Al Aldridge said.
LCC (10-7, 3-0) outrebounded Clark 46-31, which Aldridge said was the difference in the game.
The Clark teams are at the O’Connell Center on Monday, hosting Pierce.
