The Great Falls Electric professional basketball team was looking to go 2-0 in Salem, Oregon in their first official season in The Basketball League (TBL) on Saturday night where they traveled from Eugene, Oregon on Friday, where they easily defeated the Emerald City Jaguars, 122-89 in their first contest.
The second game on their three-game road trip through Oregon and Washington state was the Salem (OR) Capitals. Salem is under the direction of head coach Kevin Johnson, Jr. is 3-2 on the season with two home wins against the Seattle Super Hawks and the Vancouver Volcanoes along with two road losses to Seattle and Vancouver.
The Great Falls Electric basketball team is now 1-1 on the season after falling to the Salem (OR) Capitals 113-100 on Saturday night at The Salem Armory Auditorium in Salem, Oregon.
Salem’s Joseph Billinger, Jr. put the Capitals out in front 2-0 with 10:23 remaining in the first quarter. The Electric’s Antwaan Cushingberry drained a deep three-point shot on Great Falls’ next possession to give the Montana team their first lead (3-2). Both squads kept the game close with seven lead changes and three ties. Salem led 19-18 during the first twelve minutes. Antwaan Cushinberry gathered ten points for Great Falls and Dominique Lawrence led the Capitals with six.
Valentine Nyakinda made back-to-back baskets to lift the Capitals to a 23-18 lead, the largest of the game, early in the second period. Lamine Komara jumper pulled the Electric to 23-21 later in the period but the visiting team would get no closer as they trailed 48-38 at halftime. Lamine Komara and Lyle Hexom each contributed seven points in the period for Great Falls.
During the first two minutes after halftime, Great Falls still trailed 51-44 but outscored the home team, 6-3 behind baskets from Lyle Hexom, Brandon Jamar, and Antwaan Cushingberry. Salem held a 78-58 advantage after three quarters.
Paul Hafford had 19 points including six shots behind the arc in the fourth quarter for Salem. He was the second leading scorer for coach Kevin Johnson, Jr. squad behind a 27-point performance by Preston Whitfield.
Antwaan Cushinberry registered 31 points, 3 rebounds, 4 assists and 3 steals in 42 minutes to lead the way for the Electric. Lyle Hexom had a team-high 20 rebounds and Lamine Komara had 27 points.
NEXT CONTEST: The Great Falls Electric will finish their first road trip of the season on Sunday, March 17th for a contest at Clark College in Vancouver, Washington where they will meet the Vancouver Volcanoes for a 4:00PM (MST) tipoff.
The Salem Capitals will challenge the Emerald City Jaguars on Thursday, March 21st at 8:00PM (MST) in their first head-to-head meeting of the season.
Great Fallls will make their home debut at Great Falls High’s Swarthout Fieldhouse on Saturday, March 23rd and Sunday, March 24th for a pair of games against the Seattle Super Hawks at 7:00PM (MST) on Saturday and Sunday at 4:00PM (MST).
By Kevin Scott, Great Falls Electric Pro Basketball: March 16, 2024 – Salem, Ore
