Seemingly in control of Saturday afternoon’s NWAC matchup with Highline, the Trailblazers couldn’t finish the job and allowed a game-clinching 8-0 run to fall 60-57 inside the Highline College Pavilion.
The playoff chances for CC (8-16, 3-6 NWAC West) are dwindling and with the loss to the Thunderbirds, it gets swept in both games and is two back – three if the head-to-head tiebreaker is included – with four games to go.
Down 45-44 entering the final quarter, CC broke a three-minute scoreless start with a basket from Khloe Glover. After both sides exchanged buckets and leads, a 6-0 spree by the Blazers put them up 575-2 with under two minutes left in regulation.
Highline’s Neveah Richardson, who finished with a game-high 21 points, buried the go-ahead basket with 25 seconds left to put it up by one. Glover and Abi Lundblad both had looks in the waning seconds, but neither dropped and two free throws by the hosts with a second left sealed the comeback.
CC was up by four at the half thanks to a 21-point first quarter and another 14 in the second on over 40 percent from the field. Kieryn Mann finished with a team-best 16 points, 12 in the opening two frames. Glover added 14 and Jazlyn Corpuz chipped in 10 points.
Mann and Lundblad each snared 10 rebounds while Morning Sky Iron Moccasine dished out seven assists off the bench. The Blazers will take on Green River in back-to-back games on Wednesday and Thursday.
