VANCOUVER, Wash. - The Clark College Penguins pulled off a remarkable second-half turnaround to defeat Mt. Hood, 77-65, in an intense regional matchup.

The game began with both teams trading early baskets, but Mt. Hood's shooting touch gave them the edge in the first half. The Saints jumped out to an 11-point lead late in the half, aided by Jalen Childs and Mat Choul, who combined for 21 first-half points. Despite Clark's efforts, the Penguins found themselves trailing 45-35 at the break.

Clark came out of halftime with renewed energy, quickly closing the gap by leaning on defensive stops and offensive execution. Theo McMillan set the tone early in the second half with key assists and a fast break layup that ignited the home crowd. Meanwhile, Jackson Esary took over offensively, scoring 17 of his 23 points after the break.

The Penguins' defense stifled Mt. Hood throughout the second half, limiting the Saints to just 20 points over the final 20 minutes. Clark forced turnovers at critical moments, creating easy scoring opportunities. With under five minutes to play, a fast break bucket by Esary pushed Clark's lead to double digits, and the Penguins never looked back.

Balanced scoring was a hallmark of Clark's second-half dominance. Terrell Moorer Jr. added 14 of his 16 points in the half, while Noah Toastovrsnik provided an inside presence off the bench, finishing with six points and five rebounds.

Clark outscored Mt. Hood 34-24 in the paint and turned 17 turnovers into 18 points. They also held a narrow edge on the boards, grabbing 30 rebounds compared to Mt. Hood's 27.

The victory brings Clark to a 9-9 record overall and 2-1 in conference play as they continue their pursuit of a top spot in the league standings. Up next, the Penguins will face Umpqua on Saturday, 1/18.

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