LA GRANDE, Ore. - In Eastern's final matchup of the 2023 Quinn Classic, Montana Western emerged victorious against Eastern Oregon with a final score of 89-83 Saturday night. With the loss the Mounties drop to 1-4 on the campaign.
 
The first half set the tone for a closely contested battle, as both teams ended the period tied at 47 points each. Jalyn Stepney of Montana Western had the hot hand pouring in 18 points, including two three-pointers. Abi Adedo and Jacksen Burckley contributed well in supporting cast roles combining for an extra 14 points for the Bulldogs.
 
Eastern Oregon, matching Montana Western's first-half performance, displayed a collective effort with a balanced scoring attack led by Preston Chandler with 11. Garrett Hawkes and Malachi Afework pitched in 9 and 8 points respectively.    
 
The second half witnessed Montana Western gain a slight edge, outscoring Eastern Oregon 42-36. Stepney continued to shine, finishing the game with an impressive 33 points. Abi Adedo maintained his efficiency, contributing 16 points in just 27 minutes on the court.
 
Western's hot shooting proved to be a key factor as they pulled away. The Bulldogs shot an overall field goal percentage of 57.1% and effective three-point shooting at 33.3%.
 
Despite the loss, Eastern Oregon's Garrett Hawkes put up another big game offensively leading the team in scoring with 20 points.
 
A back and forth affair, when the dust settled there were five lead changes on the evening.
 
Eastern Oregon will take a short break before returning to action on December 1 against Oregon Tech on the road. Tipoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. in Klamath Falls that Friday.
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