No. 22 LC State Captures Share of Cascade Conference Crown

Warriors to host quarterfinal matchup against Northwest on Wednesday

Published on Feb. 25, 2026

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The No. 22 LC State Men's Basketball team earned a share of the Cascade Conference title and will host all of its games in the 2026 Cascade Conference Tournament. The Warriors tied for the CCC title with Eastern Oregon but had the tiebreaker to secure the top seed and the conference's automatic bid into the national tournament. LC State will host eighth-seeded Northwest (Wash.) in the quarterfinal round on Wednesday, Feb. 25 at 7 p.m.

Why it matters

This is LC State's first Cascade Conference title since 2021, and the Warriors will have home-court advantage throughout the tournament as the top seed. The matchup against Northwest is a rematch of the regular season, where the teams split their two meetings.

The details

LC State took the CCC by storm this season, winning eight of their final nine games and using the depth of their lineup to their advantage. The Warriors have one of the best defenses in the NAIA, ranking seventh in the nation in scoring defense. Senior John Lustig has been a standout, leading the team in scoring and rebounding, while sophomore Dylan Skaife and transfer Jamare' Childs have provided a scoring punch from 3-point range. Northwest ended the regular season on a four-game winning streak and is led by Lucius Fox, Logan Stempniak, Christian Watkins, and Trent Williams.

  • The Warriors host Northwest on Wednesday, Feb. 25 at 7 p.m.
  • The winner will advance to play in the CCC semifinal on Saturday, Feb. 28.

The players

John Lustig

A senior who leads LC State in scoring and rebounding this season with 15.5 points and 7.2 rebounds per contest. He ranks second in the conference in field goal percentage and fifth in rebounding.

Dylan Skaife

A sophomore who has become one of the CCC's biggest scoring threats from 3-point range, leading the team with 76 made triples this season.

Jamare' Childs

A transfer who is fifth in the conference in 3-point percentage at 44.0%, providing a scoring punch alongside Skaife.

Lucius Fox

The top scorer this season for Northwest with 14.1 points per game, and also leads the team in rebounding with 6.9 boards per contest.

Christian Watkins

Leads the Cascade Conference in steals with 68 and is fourth in assists with 115.

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What they’re saying

“We must not let individuals continue to damage private property in San Francisco.”

— Robert Jenkins, San Francisco resident (San Francisco Chronicle)

“Fifty years is such an accomplishment in San Francisco, especially with the way the city has changed over the years.”

— Gordon Edgar, grocery employee (Instagram)

What’s next

The winner of Wednesday's quarterfinal matchup between LC State and Northwest will advance to play in the CCC semifinal on Saturday, Feb. 28. Should LC State win, the semifinal game will be played in Lewiston.

The takeaway

LC State's first Cascade Conference title since 2021 and home-court advantage throughout the tournament as the top seed highlights the Warriors' impressive season and their ability to overcome injuries and depth challenges to emerge as the conference's best team.