Edmonds Erases 11-Point Deficit to Defeat Lane 73-72 and Advance to Final Four

PASCO, Wash. — In the game of the tournament thus far, Edmonds (20-11) came back from an 11-point deficit, surviving Lane's last second shot to win 73-72 in Game 12 of the 2026 NWAC Men's Basketball Championship, presented by ICCU, on Friday at Columbia Basin College.

The Tritons had a complete turn around offensively from the first to second half, improving their shooting percentage from 31 percent to nearly 46 percent, while making 9-of-11 free throws. The game featured 16 lead changes as the teams traded blows throughout the second half.

With the win, Edmonds reaches its first NWAC Final Four since 2015 when they placed second overall. Friday's comeback win marks two-straight wins for the Tritons after trailing by at least seven points at halftime.

Edmonds opened the first half with a quick 4-0 advantage, highlighted by a layup from Hunter White assisted by Adonai Daniel. Lane responded effectively, with Joey Banry's 3-pointer at 18:20 marking the start of their scoring. The teams exchanged leads, but the Titans gained momentum with a 12-4 run, including a layup by Noah Salmon at 00:41, achieving their largest lead of 11 points. Sebastian Cooper's late layup brought the Tritons within nine, closing the half at 35-26 in Lane's favor.

Kyrylo Kapinos and Avidan West led the Tritons' comeback in the second half, overcoming Lane's early 11-point lead. Kapinos contributed critical points in the paint, including a key dunk at the 6:37 mark that helped Edmonds take a five-point lead, their largest of the game. Lane's Salmon kept the Titans in contention with crucial 3-pointers. For the second night in a row, West had the go-ahead basket, pulling down an offensive rebound and finishing with a layup with five seconds left. After a couple timeouts, Lane's last chance shot was tipped and fell short, sending Edmonds to the victory.

Kapinos led the Tritons with a standout performance, posting 24 points on 9-of-15 shooting from the field. He also contributed defensively with two blocks and one steal. West was a key playmaker once again, scoring 13 points and dishing out six assists. Lockhart was effective beyond the arc, hitting three 3-pointers and adding five assists, finishing with nine points. Isaiah Lopez provided a scoring boost off the bench, contributing 11 points while securing four rebounds.

Salmon led the Titans with an impressive performance, scoring 22 points while hitting 7 of 12 shots from the field, including three 3-pointers. AJ Austin was another key player, contributing 10 points and leading the team in rebounds with seven, while also recording two blocks. Banry added nine points as did Steven Adams.

Edmonds moves onto the Final Four next weekend as they will take on a familiar opponent in North Region No. 2 seed Skagit Valley, scheduled for 2 p.m. on Friday, March 13. Lane finishes their season with a 15-15 record, but impressed greatly in the tournament with an upset of Green River, nearly reaching the Final Four as the No. 4 seed.