Storm Falls Short in Tight Tussle with Roadrunners

SALEM, Ore. — It was a game of inches and a battle at the charity stripe on Wednesday night at the Storm Center. Despite outshooting the visitors from the field and beyond the arc, the Chemeketa Storm (5-16, 1-8) couldn't quite find the final push needed to overcome the Linn-Benton Roadrunners (10-13, 4-6), falling in a narrow 74-69 decision.

A Battle of Efficiency

The contest was a back-and-forth affair from the opening tip. The Storm went into the locker room at halftime trailing by just two points, 40-38, and kept the pressure on throughout the second half. Chemeketa's offense was remarkably efficient, posting a 54.0% field goal percentage and hitting a sharp 46.2% from three-point range.

However, the Roadrunners made their living at the free-throw line. Linn-Benton capitalized on their opportunities, shooting a stellar 88.2% (15-of-17) from the stripe, while the Storm struggled to a 60.0% (9-of-15) finish. That six-point discrepancy at the line proved to be the difference in a five-point game.

Storm Standouts

Chemeketa saw balanced production across the starting lineup, with four players reaching double digits:

• Gavin Aguilar: Tied for the team lead with 14 points, adding 3 rebounds and 2 steals.

• Spencer Horne: Matched the team high with 14 points on 6-of-8 shooting before fouling out.

• Kaden Holm: Anchored the interior with 11 points and a team-high 8 rebounds.

• Andrew Imhoff: Was nearly perfect from the floor, contributing 11 points on 5-of-6 shooting.

• Jaylin Scott: Provided a spark off the bench with 7 points and 3 rebounds in 18 minutes of action.

Statistical Comparison

While the result moves Chemeketa to 1-8 in conference play, the Storm showed they could go toe-to-toe with a high-shooting Roadrunners squad. They will look to carry this offensive efficiency into their next matchup as they continue to fight for a late-season surge.

Photo Credit: The Athlete Studio     Instagram: @TheAthlete_Studio