This past weekend, Whatcom Community College (WCC) hosted a home basketball game that doubled as Sophomore recognition night.
Both men and women Orcas played in their final home game against the Skagit Valley College (SVC) Cardinals on Feb 22, from 2-6 p.m. The event catered free pizza with a voucher for students and visiting attendees, and recognized the efforts of several sophomores throughout the evening.
The men’s game was prefaced with an announcement recognizing sophomores Misael Perez, Isaiah Handley, Luke Guzman, Hayden Creswell, and Glenn Wabaluku, thanking them for their ongoing commitment to the team. The NWAC Sports Network covering the men’s and women’s basketball games at WCC also took a moment to recognize two WCC sophomore players before starting each game.
The game then started with Cardinal Max Mkap (#32) making an excellent jump shot. Throughout the game, the Orcas’ score followed closely behind the Cardinals’. After the first half, the score quickly increased from 50-38 to 87-59.
When one Orca fan was asked about how the men’s game was going so far, she replied, “I hope they pull through!” But alas, the game was won by Skagit’s Cardinals 107-68.
SVC’s player, Diego Lago (#20), said afterwards, “It was a good game. I’m happy with the result… We haven’t played against 40 minutes of a zone, which was kind of a challenge in the first half. We definitely got the offense going, which was nice to see, gets the guys easier buckets.”
SVG’s men’s team is currently at the top of the standings list.
After the men’s team wrapped up their game, the sports broadcaster for the women’s game announced that “the first sophomore we’d like to recognize is Lindsey Ho. Her commitment to excellence is unmatched. Athletic Director Rob Pedicone says he remembers the first time seeing her play, remarking, ‘Who is she? She’s giving these guys buckets.’”
The second women’s Orca recognized by NWAC Sports Network was Missy Bank, for her “positive attitude and a high level of sportsmanship.” The broadcaster then noted how Pedicone described Missy as “one of the most inspiring student athletes that we have here at WCC.’” Each recognized student received flowers and celebratory pictures from loved ones on the Orca’s side of the court.
The women’s game was also dominated by the SVC Cardinals, with the Orcas struggling to score an advantage.
By the end of the third quarter, the score was at a close 40-30. The score steadily increased throughout the game, ending with Orca Lindsey Ho (#0) scoring 2 consecutive free throws. The final score was 84-65, favoring the Skagit Valley Cardinals.
Both teams fought hard, but in the end SVC took the win for both the men’s and women’s teams. WCC’s final game of the season will be on Feb. 26 at 5 p.m. at Everett Community College. If you can make the trip, come support our Orcas as they battle the Trojans!
