Men’s Basketball Splits Pair of Home Games

ALBANY, Ore. - Linn-Benton men's basketball will head into the holiday break following a pair of home contests this past week. The Roadrunners (5-7, 0-0 NWAC South) fell to the Trailblazers of Centralia College 77-74, then turned around and defeated Walla Walla Community College the following night 92-90. 

Game 1: Centralia (9-4, 0-0 NWAC West) came into the contest as the number nine ranked team in the NWAC and took a three point lead into the halftime break. The Roadrunners would battle throughout the second half but could not find a way to win, falling 77-74. Anthony Best led the way with a double-double of 19 points and 12 rebounds while Kaiden Ford scored 19 of his own.

Game 2: The Roadrunners would next face Walla Walla (7-5, 0-0 NWAC East) in a rematch of their contest earlier this season where the Warriors won 102-99. The teams again lit up the scoreboard as the hosts 57 first half points to take a lead into the break. Walla Walla refused to go away, but the lead was too much for them to overcome as the Roadrunners won 92-90. Best again led the way with Best and Ford led the scoring again with 28 and 25 points respectively, while Braxton Long scored 17 of his own.

The team will wrap up their preseason play with a home contest against Columbia Basin College on Monday, December 29. That game is scheduled for a 5:30PM tip-off.