Yakima Valley won the 2022 NWAC Championships with a 70-57 victory over Bellevue on Sunday at Everett Community College, thanks to a dominant second half performance. This was the program’s fourth-ever NWAC title and first since 2008.
Tough defense by the Yaks held the Bulldogs shooting to 31.8 percent for the game, including 23.5 percent in the second half. The Bulldogs went 6-for-26 from outside the arc.
Bellevue jumped off to an early lead, leading by as many as nine points in the first half. The Yaks did a great job of closing the distance before halftime, trailing only 34-32 at the break.
The Yaks gained the lead in the first minute after the break and never gave it back to the Bulldogs. In the second half, YVC outscored Bellevue 38-23 and led by as many as 16 points.
Alexzander Delgado, the tournament’s Most Valuable Player, with 11 points, seven rebounds, and five assists. During the tournament, the Yak point guard averaged 14 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 4.5 assists per game. He made 52.3 percent of his shots from the field and went 6-for-14 from beyond the arc.
(photo/Jeff Balauro)
