The Lower Columbia Red Devils secured their spot in the Northwest Athletic Conference (NWAC) Men’s Basketball Championship game with a dramatic 61-58 victory over the Highline Thunderbirds in the Final Four matchup at Columbia Basin College. 

The win marks Lower Columbia’s first trip to the championship game since 2010, a milestone achievement for head coach Mickey Polis and his squad. The Red Devils’ last championship victory came in 2005 as part of a back-to-back title run.

The tightly contested game saw Highline, the fourth seed from the West Region, battle fiercely against top-seeded Lower Columbia.

The first half was a back-and-forth affair, with Highline taking control early behind a 10-0 run, punctuated by a dunk from Cooper Aitken at the 14:51 mark. Lower Columbia responded late in the half, narrowing the deficit to two points by halftime thanks to a three-pointer from James Grose with just three seconds remaining.

The Thunderbirds led 28-26 at halftime, but a strong second-half push from the Red Devils turned the tide in their favor. 

As the second half began, Lower Columbia found its rhythm, taking a 33-30 lead on a pair of layups from Kap Laila and Malik Brown. Highline responded with clutch free throws from Keaine Silimon to tie the game at 33-33. However, the Red Devils slowly built momentum, extending their lead to 55-48 with 4:47 left in the game.

Despite a late push by Highline, including a crucial three-pointer by Isaiah Vargas with 27 seconds remaining, the Red Devils held firm. With under 10 seconds left, a missed pair of free throws by Lower Columbia gave Highline a final opportunity to force overtime, but their last-second shot fell short as the Red Devils celebrated their berth in the championship game.

Several players contributed standout performances in this hard-fought contest. Aitken was Highline’s top scorer, finishing with 14 points on 7-of-10 shooting from the field while also grabbing seven rebounds. Ian Prictor contributed 10 points and eight rebounds, while Vargas recorded nine points, eight rebounds, and two steals. Rylan Donovan also played a key role, scoring nine points and adding five rebounds and three assists.

On the other side for Lower Columbia, Grose led the scoring effort with 15 points, sinking three three-pointers, while Brown added 13 points, six rebounds, and two steals. David Young showcased his all-around skills with 12 points, five assists, and four steals, while Laila made an impact defensively with four steals, three blocks, and five rebounds to go along with his eight points. 

While Highline’s defense held Lower Columbia to just 35.1% shooting from the field and won the rebounding battle 45-32, turnovers proved to be the deciding factor. The Thunderbirds committed 19 turnovers compared to the Red Devils’ 11, allowing Lower Columbia to score 23 points off those mistakes. 

The Red Devils also applied relentless defensive pressure, finishing with 13 steals that disrupted Highline’s offensive flow. Additionally, Lower Columbia capitalized on their opportunities at the free-throw line, converting 16-of-22 attempts at a 72.7% clip, compared to Highline’s more efficient but less frequent 8-of-10 shooting from the stripe.

With this victory, Lower Columbia advanced to face the South Region’s fourth-seeded Southwestern Oregon Lakers in the NWAC Championship game on Sunday, March 16 at Holden Court. The Lower Columbia Red Devils claimed their third NWAC title and first since 2005, defeating Southwestern Oregon 67-63 in the final of the 2025 NWAC Men’s Basketball Championship.

Click here for more information about the final game.