VANCOUVER, WA - In a thrilling matchup between Clark and Blue Mountain, the Penguins secured a comfortable 95-77 victory at home on Friday night at the O'Connell Sports Center on the campus of Clark College. Despite a fiery performance from Blue Mountain's star player, Ajani Jamison, Clark's balanced offensive attack and strong second-half defense carried them to the win.

Jamison's Explosive Start
Blue Mountain was led by a sensational effort from senior guard Ajani Jamison, who poured in 31 points on 12-of-24 shooting, including 6-of-13 from beyond the arc. His hot shooting kept Blue Mountain in the game through the first half, as they managed to score 36 points. However, despite his individual brilliance, the team struggled with efficiency, particularly from three-point range, finishing just 7-of-30 from deep.

Blue Mountain kept pace early, as Jamison and Dionte Hill (19 points, 9-of-17 shooting) combined for 50 of the team's 77 points. But Clark's high-powered offense was too much to overcome.

Clark's Offensive Firepower
Clark's offense, led by sophomore forward Jackson Esary, was simply overwhelming. Esary finished with 28 points on an efficient 11-of-17 shooting and added 3 rebounds and 2 assists. He was joined by senior Beau Swett, who scored 17 points, including 3-of-4 from three-point range, and helped create spacing for the offense.

The first half saw Clark establish a dominant lead with a 52-36 advantage. Esary was the catalyst, scoring 18 of his 28 points in the opening half, while the Penguins shot an impressive 56.4% from the field. Blue Mountain's defense had no answer for the dynamic duo of Esary and Swett, and though Blue Mountain kept the deficit manageable at times, Clark's attack was relentless.

Balanced Scoring and Depth
Clark's depth proved to be another major factor in the game. Off the bench, freshman Zion Milare provided a spark, scoring 11 points, including 2-of-4 from beyond the arc. Terrell Moorer Jr. chipped in 16 points, and Theo McMillan contributed 6 points, 7 rebounds, and 3 assists.

The Penguins' bench outscored Blue Mountain's 37-14, with players like Sean Pak (6 points), Marcell Roberts (2 points), and Jacob Nugus (1 point) all contributing in their limited minutes.

Blue Mountain, on the other hand, struggled for scoring consistency beyond Jamison and Hill. Kaden Johnson (6 points), Zane Nichols (4 points), and Jacob Campbell (3 points) were largely quiet, and the team's shooting woes from three-point range (23.3%) limited their ability to mount a serious comeback.

The Second Half: Clark Seals the Win
While Blue Mountain made a push in the second half, outscoring Clark 41-43 in the final 20 minutes, it was not enough to overcome their first-half deficit. Clark maintained their lead throughout, with Esary continuing to attack the rim and getting key contributions from Swett and the rest of the bench.

Blue Mountain did manage to shoot 46.2% from the field in the second half, but their three-point shooting remained cold (just 13.3% for the game), and Clark was able to maintain control of the game with strong rebounding (34-33) and a solid defensive effort.

Key Stats

• Blue Mountain: 32-of-76 (42.1%) FG, 7-of-30 (23.3%) 3PT, 6-of-10 (60%) FT, 33 rebounds, 19 turnovers
• Clark: 35-of-71 (49.3%) FG, 8-of-21 (38.1%) 3PT, 17-of-26 (65.4%) FT, 34 rebounds, 12 turnovers

The game featured a solid team effort from Clark, who capitalized on their depth and shooting efficiency, with several players stepping up in key moments. Blue Mountain, despite a heroic individual performance from Jamison, couldn't match the Penguins' collective firepower.

Looking Ahead
For Clark, this victory marks a strong start to their season as they move to 1-0. They will look to build on their offensive chemistry and depth as the season progresses. Blue Mountain, now 0-1, will need to regroup and improve their shooting if they hope to compete in upcoming matchups.

Next up, the penguins return to O'Connell on Saturday, November 16th to host the Oregon Club basketball team at 3:00pm.

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