Everett, WA – In the home opener of the 2022-2023 season, fans got a first look at this year's men's basketball team and like season's past, the Mike Trautman led squad demonstrated the will to grind out a win.
The Trojans hosted the Clippers of South Puget Sound Community College, a program on the rise under new head coach Zach Smith. Through the first ten minutes of action, the lead changed six times. After two made free throws by Tucker Molina the Trojans led 17-16. From there, EvCC went on a run to stretch the lead out to 8. With five to play in the half, SPSCC trimmed the lead to one before eventually taking the lead back on back to back made three's.
Trailing 37-33 EvCC responded with a three of their own by Colton Spencer and proceeded to go on a 12-1 run punctuated by Tucker Molina's dunk to go into the half with a 45-38 lead.
Out of the break, the Trojans increased the lead to 9 and held that cushion steadily for about five minutes. But a cold stretch allowed SPSCC to go on a run to climb back to within two. With 10:32 to play the Clippers reclaimed the lead at 54-53 and extended it with a second made three by Aleksa Milentijevic.
Everett kept composure, and despite only putting up 8 points in ten minutes of action, began to keep pace with the Clipper offense to not let the game get away from them. EvCC did not get the lead back until five minutes left on the clock on a Leon Sayers jump shot.
South Puget Sound connected on another three with just over three minutes to play keeping the home fans on the edge of their seats. Trailing 69-66, JT Smith got the line and sank a pair of free throws to get within one. After a Jordan Medcalf steal, the Trojans converted on the other end with a Conner Smith bucket, his 20th point of the night to give Everett a 70-69 lead with 47 seconds remaining.
The Trojan defense tightened, and came up with another steal, this time by JT Smith, to put the game on ice, eventually claiming the first win of the season, 74-69.
JT Smith finished with 17 points and 5 rebounds, and the other Trojan to score in double figures was Tucker Molina who scored 10, hauled down 9 rebounds, and got 6 assists with 4 blocks.
As a team, they took care of the ball with only 4 turnovers, and shot a solid 78% from the line making 18 of 23 free throws.