The Snow College men's basketball team earned a pair of victories at the Region 1/Region 18 Challenge last weekend in Price. The Badgers defeated No. 15 Eastern Arizona College 102-90 before earning an 82-68 win against Arizona Western College to wrap up the tournament.
 
The Badgers entered the two-day event following a pair of victories at the Cougar Classic in Scottsbluff, Nebraska. After a 95-89 win over host Western Nebraska Community College, Snow College defeated Casper College 89-73.
 
The top 20 matchup against the Gila Monsters did not disappoint as the game bounced back and forth through much of the opening period. There were a total of six ties and six lead changes through the first 20 minutes of the game.
 
A jumper and a free throw from McCaden Adams gave the Badgers a 15-11 lead six minutes into the action. EAC would tie the game three separate times over the next seven minutes before Snow College took a 31-26 lead off a 3-pointer from Max Toombs.
 
The Badgers led by as many as six points, but a 10-3 run from the Gila Monsters gave them a 39-38 lead with three minutes remaining in the first period. Snow College responded with a 6-0 run before taking a 45-41 lead into halftime.
 
EAC came out strong to begin the second half. An 11-4 run saw the Gila Monsters take a 52-51 advantage. It would be the last time they would see the lead in the game.
 
Later on in the second period, the Badgers used a 14-1 run capped off by a 3-pointer from Brock McClure and a jumper from Sam Sivulich to take a 73-60 lead with 12 minutes remaining.
 
Adams exploded for 20 points in the second half. Over the final six minutes, he scored 16 of the Badgers' 22 points during that span. The Badgers would lead by as many as 18 en route to securing the 102-90 victory.
 
Adams led the way with a career-high 32 points on 6-9 shooting. He went 19-23 from the free-throw line. It's the most free-throw attempts in a game since Walter Wright went 19-27 against Sheridan College Nov. 8, 2014.
 
McClure recorded his second double-double as a Badger as he finished with 14 points and 11 rebounds. Toombs also finished with 14 points while Sean Felts recorded 12 points and eight rebounds to aid in the victory.
 
The following day, Snow College raced out to an 18-4 lead against AWC over the first eight minutes of the first half. The Matadors responded with a 17-4 run over the next five minutes to trim the Badgers' lead to just one.
 
The Badgers bounced back to take a 34-25 lead with three minutes to play before taking a 34-31 advantage into the halftime break.
 
Snow College would never relinquish the lead in the second half. They led by as many as 18 points before running away with the 82-68 victory – their third straight against the Matadors.
 
For the second consecutive game, a Badger scored 20 points in the second half alone. This time it was Felts who recorded a career-high 34 points on 16-18 shooting.
 
Adams followed up his career high with 14 points against AWC. Sivulich recorded 13 points and six assists, while Aaron Bliss put in 10 points and grabbed eight boards in the win.
 
Snow College will now turn its attention to Yavapai College Monday at 7:00 p.m. inside the Horne Activity Center in Ephraim for their 2025 home opener. For video streaming and live stats information, visit snowbadgers.com.