North Lake dropped five straight games after their Community Day blowout, with four of those losses coming on the road. But a bounce-back win over Ranger College at Weatherford sparked a turnaround, which continued on Dec. 2 as North Lake beat Redlands Community College 91–86 at home.

From the opening minutes, the matchup had the feel of a high-scoring duel. Redlands leaned heavily on star guard Justice Johnson, who poured in 32 points and grabbed 14 rebounds, keeping the Cougars close throughout the game. But North Lake countered with balanced scoring and timely execution.

Jordan Edwards helped North Lake get started on the right foot, contributing 15 points. Ja’Den Stiggers added 12 points and knocked down a key three-pointer in the second half to keep the momentum from swinging. Zach Thompson delivered one of his best performances of the season, finishing with 17 points, five rebounds and two assists. Off the bench, Santana Spivey provided a major spark, knocking down five three-pointers on his way to 19 points — the second-highest total of the game.

Redlands opened the second half on a scoring surge, but the run slowed after their coach received back-to-back technical fouls for arguing with officials and was ejected. Romiel Carter helped inside with seven rebounds and four assists, allowing the Blazers to control late-game possessions despite Redlands’ pressure.

Now marching upward at a key point in the schedule, the Blazers look to build on back-to-back victories as they continue their push toward conference play.