Everett Herald Article: Tritons race past Trojans in key NWAC men's hoops battle

By Nick Patterson

LYNNWOOD -- There are no nights off in Northwest Athletic Conference North Region men's basketball this season.

The region is a dogfight, with seven of the eight teams worthy of earning one of the region's four NWAC tournament berths. The teams are bunched so tightly that the identity of the top four can change drastically on any given game night.

Which makes the Edmonds College Tritons' T-Trophy victory Wednesday night all the more valuable.

Edmonds used quick starts at the beginning of each half to play downhill all game long, and the Tritons topped the archrival Everett Community College Trojans 85-71 at Seaview Gymnasium on the campus of Edmonds College.

Edmonds' backcourt duo of Chris Lee and Naser Motley dictated play, as Lee posted a strong all-around line of 21 points, eight rebounds and four assists, while Mariner High School graduate Motley scored and efficient 20 on 7 of 9 shooting from the field and 6 of 7 from the free-throw line.

"Every game matters at this point," said Lee, last season's second-leading scorer who's provided a big boost since making his season debut just before the start of region play. "We have to come in, do our job and play these teams as hard as we can.

"I think we played well tonight," Lee added. "It was a great atmosphere. I think we rose up to the pressure, rose up to the energy. We got some shots falling and we moved the ball a lot."

Shorecrest High School product Jack Sims added 10 points and five boards for Edmonds (15-8 overall, 5-3 league), which went 13 deep and therefore was able to maintain a high level of defensive intensity throughout. The victory gave the Tritons a season sweep over the Trojans.

"Oh my gosh, this was definitely huge," Edmonds coach Kyle Gray said about the victory. "The North is just unbelievable right now. It is so hard, every night is going to be a fight. So any time you can get these wins you take them, especially on your home floor. And to sweep Everett was big."

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See a post-game interview with Nas Motley and Chris Lee here.