Coach Tim McGraw’s young Blazers basketball team was tied for first place in the Metro Athletic Conference as they prepared for a showdown with Eastfield College the last weekend of February.

Headed into that game, North Lake managed a series sweep against Richland College, thumping the Thunderducks 76-62 in their final meeting.

The Richland contest started fast, with North Lake taking a 5-0 lead on the strength of two Brian Sanders baskets, the fi rst coming off a steal. The Blazers built a 10-2 lead in the fi rst 2:43.

Sanders and Bryant Ross led the way in the first 20 minutes, helping the Blazers to a 34-21 half-time lead.

The pace picked up in the second half, when Richland sent in a smaller, faster team that ran nonstop. North Lake, however, showed they can play that style, too.

With just 11:45 remaining in the game, the Blazers were up by 20 points, and McGraw began pulling his starters. Richland immediately went into a full-court press, causing three straight turnovers. The Blazers’ bench didn’t fold, though, and North Lake fi nished with a solid 14-point victory.

Ross led the Blazers with 21 points, and Sanders chipped in with another 17.

McGraw expressed pride in a team that started the season slowly before surging into a bid for the regular-season conference championship.

“It’s nice not having to rely on other teams to lose,” the coach added.