After months of anticipation and build up, the 2020 NWAC Men's Basketball Championship tournament will not be played for the first time since 1959, and no champion will be crowned. The threat of spreading the coronavirus in large group public spaces first postponed the NWAC tournament on March 6th and 7th after the NWAC in conjunction with the Snohomish County Health District, the CDC, and Everett Community College decide that it was unsafe for athletes, coaches, volunteers, and spectators to continue despite a heightened sanitation and social distancing plan.
Within 48 hours the NWAC identified a new location for the tournament at Clackamas CC in Oregon City, OR where Coronavirus cases seemed to be far less rampant. The tournament was set to resume on March 12th and run through March 15th and banned all spectators allowing only team personnel, and essential tournament operations staff. Despite the precautions, and after the first two games of the day concluded, the Oregon Health Authority and college administration decided that canceling the tournament was in the best interest of everyone's health and followed the national community action taking place to slow the spread of COVID-19.
The Trojans were coming into the Tournament riding a 7-game win streak and as the #1 seed out of the North (after winning their third straight North Region Championship). They also showcased one of the best defensive teams in the program's recent memory holding opponents to just 36.4% from the field (best in the NWAC), collected 49 rebounds per game (best in the NWAC) and allowed an average of only 68.3 points per game (2nd in the NWAC).
For as good as the defense was, the offense was just as productive finishing in the top 8 in the NWAC in field goal percentage, made free throws, made three pointers, offensive rebounds, assists, and points per game. The table was set for a deep run in the tournament, had it been played.
Despite the heart-breaking disappointment of not being able to compete for an NWAC Championship (what would have been the program's first outright NWAC championship) this will be a season to remember. The Trojans finished the season with a 25-4 overall record, Coach Trautman's third straight 20 plus win season in his four years as the head coach. His third North Region Championship secured him a third straight North Region Coach of the year award and he now has 89 career wins, the most of any EvCC men's basketball coach through their first four seasons.
Three Trojans were named to All North Region Teams. Sophomore point guard Piol Makuei (1st team), Freshman forward Devin Smith (2nd team) and red-shirt freshman Bobby Martin was named all first team, all defensive team, and was named freshman of the year. All seven sophomores will have opportunities to play at the next level. Cameron Underwood has already signed a National Letter of Intent to play at University of Colorado, Colorado Springs next season.