Cheyney, WA – In a hard-fought battle to overcome a big deficit, Eastern Washington eventually found their rhythm at home and dominated the last 7 minutes after trailing most of the game in a 71-65 win over Cal State Bakersfield. Andrew Cook led all scorers with 24 points on 50% FG while Emmett Marquardt had the best day on the glass with 9 rebounds. Bryce Cofield led the way for CSUB with 19 points but the Runners could not buy a 3 pointer, going 1-of-11 on the day despite some good looks.
The game started out very clunky with both teams clearly shaking off rust. Kjay Bradley was the initiator early for CSUB, scoring their first points on a layup and creating open driving lanes with quick ball reversals after operating the pick and roll. Andrew Cooklike the rest of his team, started slow, but was able to get his shots when it mattered and finished the first half with 9 points.
The Runners looked like their defense would keep the game out of reach, however coming out of halftime, the Eagles had figured out the double teams and spread the floor much more effectively. When EWU brought the score to within one point, Bryce Cofield sparked a run that resulted in a quick 12 points, widening the gap again. However, Alan Gballou’s disruptivepresence inside changed the game late in the second half and thanks to an explosion of offense from Cook, the Eagles ultimately sealed the game.
Andrew Cook was by far the best player in the game. He finished as the top scorer, also tacking on 5 rebounds (3 offensive), and 3 assists. He came alive late in the game, scoring most of his points in the final seven minutes. Alton Hamilton IV did not have his best game today, failing to reach any of his season averages from 25-26. However, he did take what the coaches told him during halftime and applied the feedback right away, particularly when blitzed. Although he had a rough day statistically (3-8 FG, 8 points, 3 rebounds), he learned from first half mistakes.
Alan Gballou’s performance impressed. His defensive intensity and hard work shut down pick and roll efforts and caused CSUB to work deep into the clock, something they had not done all game. He was also double teamed a couple of times and he was patient, throwing a good cross-court pass to an open shooter in the corner, and drop-stepping and scoring strong despite contact as well.
For CSUB, Kjay Bradley ran the offense. He routinely slithered inside and was able to finish over Hamilton IV (6’9” 235lbs) and the other bigs, despite his size (6’1” 185lbs). When Bradley sat because of foul trouble, Bryce Cofieldtook the reigns, exploding for seven of his 19 points in a two minute span. He showed his speed and ball control as well as his strength, finishing inside through contact and driving straight into his man and giving a hard bump to create separation for an easy shot.
This article was written by Landon Brewer of NetScouts Basketball. You can follow us on Instagram, or on twitter.
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