Despite a strong first-half showing that had the Archers leading by five at the break, STLCC dropped the first game of new head coach Terry Collins’ tenure to Lewis and Clark Community College, 65-53.
STLCC raced to an early 13-7 advantage, built upon a strong shooting performance from the perimeter from the Archers’ guard-heavy lineup. Sophomore guard Nate Rigmaiden paced the Archers with 16 points, including two of STLCC’s six three-point field goals.
But the Archers found limited success offensively in the second half, as they were held to just 15 points in the period. Compounding the issues offensively was foul trouble that saw the afternoon end early for freshman guard Sean Rigmaiden and freshman forward Andrew Milbrandt.
Lewis and Clark guard Mike Williams-Bey gave the Archers all they could handle on Saturday, notching a game-high 22 points, including a 10 for 11 showing from the free-throw line. Williams-Bey was one of three Trailblazers to reach double figures in scoring.
The Archers (0-1) will have a lengthy layoff before they return to action at Kansas City (Kansas) Community College on November 13, for the first of three games on the road. STLCC will return home on November 20, when they host Arkansas State Mid-South.