Snow College Athletics

The Snow College men's basketball team used a balanced offensive attack and a strong finish to the first half to earn a 102-89 victory over Eastern Arizona College Friday inside The House in Yuma, Arizona.
 
The victory was the fifth consecutive win for the Badgers, who improved to 5-1 overall. Five Snow College players scored in double figures, and the Badgers received 60 points from their reserves.
 
Snow College scored the first four points of the game before EAC responded and took a 16-10 lead with 13:58 remaining in the opening half. Dino Roberts Jr. converted a three-point play before Amari Davis made consecutive baskets to bring the Badgers within one.
 
Max Toombs gave Snow College the lead for good with a basket midway through the half. He followed with a 3-pointer before Davis and Roberts scored on consecutive possessions to extend the advantage to 26-20.
 
Easton Hawkins scored in transition before Davis made two free throws to give the Badgers their first double-digit lead. Davis added another basket to complete a 15-2 Snow College run and increase the advantage to 32-20 with just over six minutes remaining.
 
EAC trimmed the deficit to six during the final four minutes of the half, but Toombs scored and made three free throws down the stretch. Snow College held EAC scoreless over the final 1:25 and entered halftime with a 41-32 lead.
 
The Badgers shot 45 percent from the field and 38 percent from beyond the arc during the opening half. Snow College also forced 13 turnovers and held EAC to 34 percent shooting.
 
Snow College maintained its advantage during the opening minutes of the second half before beginning to pull away. Roberts collected a steal that led to a Toombs basket, and Isaiah Drisdom scored five consecutive points to increase the lead to 62-43.
 
Roberts connected from beyond the arc before James Rust converted a three-point play and Davis scored inside to give the Badgers a 70-50 advantage. Hawkins later made a pair of baskets and four free throws as Snow College built its largest lead of the game at 83-61 with 7:17 remaining.
 
EAC used a 6-0 run to cut the deficit to 16, but Hawkins responded with four consecutive free throws. Davis and Drisdom added baskets to push the advantage back to 21. EAC made one final run and pulled within 13 with 2:39 remaining before Roberts and Davis scored to halt the momentum.
 
Toombs and Davis led Snow College with 18 points apiece. Toombs made six of his 11 field-goal attempts and added four rebounds, while Davis shot 8 of 13 from the floor and recorded five rebounds and five assists. Hawkins finished with 17 points, including 13 in the second half.
 
Roberts added 14 points and three assists, while Rust recorded 11 points, eight rebounds, two blocks and two steals.
 
Snow College shot 49 percent from the field and made 36 of its 48 free-throw attempts. The Badgers forced 23 turnovers and scored 22 points off those miscues. Snow College also recorded 11 steals and held EAC to 43 percent shooting.
 
The Badgers will conclude the Region 1/Region 18 Challenge against host Arizona Western College Saturday at 3 p.m. inside The House. For video streaming and live stat information, visit snowbadgers.com.