The Bothell Cougars scored the most points they've had all season to find success on Tuesday. Couldn't have asked for a better start to 2024 than the 83-51 blowout they got at home against Newport - Bellevue. That 83-51 margin sets a new team best for Bothell this season.
Bryson Bell was his usual excellent self, dropping a double-double on 14 points and 12 rebounds. Those 14 points set a new season-high mark for him. Another player making a difference was Jarell Fermon, who scored 12 points along with six assists and five rebounds.
When it comes to explaining why Newport - Bellevue lost, one person who can't be blamed is Jace Rainey. Despite the final result, he scored 18 points along with six rebounds. Rainey scored a full 35.3% of Newport - Bellevue's points, the sixth time in a row he's earned more than a third of the team's points. Brayden Lee was another key contributor, scoring ten points.
Even though they lost, Newport - Bellevue were working as a unit and finished the game with 12 assists. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Bothell only racked up 27 assists.
The victory was the third in a row for Bothell, bringing their record for this year to 3-8. Those good results were due in large part to their offensive dominance across that stretch, as they averaged 79.3 points per game. As for Newport - Bellevue, they bumped their record down to 1-10 with that defeat, which was their eighth straight on the road dating back to last season.
Both teams are looking forward to the support of their home crowds in their upcoming games. Bothell will take on Issaquah at 8:00 p.m. on Friday. As for Newport - Bellevue, they will look to defend their home court on Friday against North Creek at 8:00 p.m. North Creek presents a significant challenge as they come into the match much higher ranked than Newport - Bellevue in Washington (North Creek is ranked 82nd, while Newport - Bellevue is ranked 316th).
