Wolves Narrowly Drop Opening Weekend Series
Wolves Narrowly Drop Opening Weekend Series
Photo Credit: Anika Geschke (@photos_ani)
Puyallup, Wash. - The BMCC Timberwolves kicked off their season on the road at Pierce College for a 3 game preseason tournament "The Raider Classic". The Wolves showed a lot of promise and potential with game one highlight of Xaxier Kelly's 19 points, Jacob Campbell's 19 points in game two, and 20 points by Campbell in game three. Full game recaps posted below. The Wolves will return to the court on Tuesday as they return home for the first time this season.
Game 1: Clackamas 94, Blue Mountain 86
(11/21/2025 — Pierce College HEC)
Blue Mountain opened its 2025–26 campaign with an energetic offensive performance but couldn’t overcome Clackamas’ firepower in a 94–86 loss on Friday night.
The Timberwolves featured a balanced scoring effort, led by Xavier Kelly’s 19 points and 11 rebounds, marking an early-season double-double for the sophomore. Jacob Campbell added 18 points and 6 assists, while Jessie Tijerina started the year strong with 16 points, including four made threes. Ahlius Yearout also reached double figures with 10 points.
Blue Mountain shot an efficient 48.5% from the field, improving to 51% in the second half as the offense found its rhythm. The Timberwolves also dominated the glass with 46 total rebounds, including 14 offensive boards that led to 16 second-chance points.
Clackamas countered with a high-powered attack led by Connor Oertel’s 26 points and four starters in double figures. Despite a strong second-half push from BMCC—outscoring Clackamas 54–44 after halftime—the early deficit proved difficult to overcome.
Game 2: Pierce 59, Blue Mountain 57
(11/22/2025 — Pierce College HEC)
Blue Mountain bounced back with one of its grittiest efforts of the weekend on Saturday, narrowly falling 59–57 to host Pierce in a defensive battle that came down to the final possession.
The Timberwolves controlled the first half, taking a 33–25 lead behind strong rebounding and an efficient inside attack. Jacob Campbell once again paced BMCC with 19 points, 8 rebounds, and 5 assists, while Jessie Tijerina added 8 points and Zane Nichols posted a dominant rebounding night with 13 boards.
Blue Mountain’s defense held Pierce to just 31% shooting in the first half, but the Raiders responded with a 34-point second half to rally back. Despite the momentum shift, BMCC remained within striking distance throughout, aided by 20 bench points and a 14–5 advantage in second-chance scoring.
The Timberwolves had a chance to tie or win in the closing seconds, but Pierce held defensively to seal the two-point decision.
Game 3: Edmonds 101, Blue Mountain 93
(11/23/2025 — Pierce College HEC)
On the final day of the opening weekend, Blue Mountain produced its strongest offensive outing of the series, but a late Edmonds surge resulted in a 101–93 setback on Sunday afternoon.
The Timberwolves were red-hot offensively, shooting 50.7% from the field and 47.8% from three, with five players scoring in double figures. Jacob Campbell led the way with 20 points, while Ahlius Yearout delivered his best game of the weekend with 18 points and 6 rebounds. Jessie Tijerina added 16 points and 5 assists, and freshman guard Leighton Bess sparked the bench with 13 points, including three 3-pointers.
Blue Mountain trailed by just four at halftime and continued to battle deep into the second half thanks to strong shooting and 33 bench points. However, Edmonds capitalized on 30 second-chance points and a heavy parade to the free-throw line (31-40) to maintain its lead down the stretch.
Despite the loss, the Timberwolves closed the weekend showing clear offensive strides, improved efficiency, and strong contributions throughout the roster.
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Contact: Jordan Hillmick; Assistant Athletic Director; 541-278-5964; jhillmick@bluecc.edu