PENDLETON It took six tries, but Blue Mountain Community College won its first mens basketball game 102-67 over Edmonds on Saturday.

We just got tired of losing, said sophomore Sam Grogan of Stanfield. Coach got us all fired up so we came out and played hard I think that was the main reason we won.

The victory came in the losers bracket of the Blue Mountain?Crossover tournament. BMCC (5-1) fell to Umpqua 88-62 and Edmonds lost a tight 74-72 contest to South Puget?Sound in Fridays openers.

We played pretty well away from home the last three games Clark, Clackamas and Mt. Hood were all teams that could win their divisions and we stuck close, Timberwolves coach Larry Bartee said. Then we come back last night and played like we had never seen the ball before.

BMCC?looked like a different squad on on Saturday, shooting 47 percent from the field and 43 percent from behind the arc. Its defense was lock-down, forcing 22 turnovers and allowing only 29 Edmonds first-half points.

Forward Robbie Church scored a team-high 16 for BMCC and Grogan added 14 with five assists. Five Timberwolves reached double digits in scoring, including Tavin Hurley (11), Ryan Strand (11) and Sam Hermann (11).

Donald Cassel netted a game-high 20 points for Edmonds on a respectable 7-for-17 night, but his efforts were negated by 35 percent team shooting. BMCCs Gavin Burt stuck a dagger into Edmonds with a three-point halftime buzzer-beater despite getting hacked to the floor on his release.

BMCC led the contest at every junction, finally looking like the top-four NWAACC?team it aspires to be come March. Tough love was all it took for motivation.

(Bartee) said a few bad words and just yelled at us a little bit, said Grogan. He doesnt usually do that maybe once or twice a year, but he got pretty mad last night.

Bartee will take whatever works heading into todays fourth/sixth place game versus Green River (5-2), a favorite to win the tournament before losing 91-88 to?Walla Walla.

If you can figure out 18/19-year-olds, you let me know, Bartee said of getting his team to play hard. Sometimes you dont have to say anything; other times you can talk all night and it wont make any difference.

A hearty breakfast may help as much as any message Bartee spouts, as tip-off is set for 10 a.m. at BMCC.

CLACKAMAS 87, WALLA?WALLA?80 In Pendleton, Max Jacobsen scored 28 points and Kirby Hawkins added 27 more to lift the Clackamas Cougars (4-2)?into the championship game of the Blue Mountain Crossover Tournament.

The pair combined to take 41 of Clackamas 69 total shots from the field and the Cougars hit 57.6 percent of their shots in the second half to erase a 48-43 halftime deficit.

Walla Walla (5-2)?was led by Jason Smiths 26-point night while Ryan Shultz added 17 points.

Clackamas will play Umpqua at 2 p.m. today in the title game while Walla Walla will face South Puget Sound at noon for third place.

BELLEVUE?93, GREEN?RIVER?78 In Pendleton, Bellevue advanced to the consolation final of the Blue Mountain Crossover Tournament, outshooting Green River 54.9 percent to 38.6 percent Saturday.

Rex Nelson led the Bulldogs (3-3) with 21 points while Cedric Clarington added 20 and Antonio Gonzalez contributed 15.

Gonzalez also led the Bulldogs with nine rebounds and six assists.

Dakin Wanquist led the Gators (4-3)?with 18 points while Devin Willis and Jamaal Thomas each had 12.

Bellevue will face Blue Mountain in the consolation final at 10 a.m.

UMPQUA 81, SOUTH?PUGET?SOUND?72 In Pendleton, Umpqua (2-5) picked a good time to go on a winning streak and after picking up its second win of the season Saturday will play in todays Blue Mountain Crossover Tournament championship against Clackamas at 2 p.m.

Trevor Clemo was a one-man show once again for the Riverhawks, scoring a game-high 31 to go with his seven rebounds, two blocks and five steals.

No other Riverhawks player scored in double digits but the team shot 46.7 percent from the field.

Tabrion Leverette led South Puget Sound with 29 points while William Sharp added 17.

The Clippers will face Walla Walla at noon for third place.