ARON Baynes has continued his strong US college season with Washington State University basketball team, finishing with 17 points in the Cougars' 69-46 win against Oregon State University  
yesterday.

Baynes' effort, with six-of-eight shooting from the field was a welcome performance after Washington State lost its first game of the season at the weekend.

The Cougars (15-1 overall) lost their first match of the season and their first Pac-10 clash, going down 81-74 to UCLA in Los Angeles last Sunday.

The Cougars took the first leg of their Los Angeles double-header with a 73-58 victory against USC.

Former Cairns Marlin Baynes was dominant in that match, finishing with 18 points and nine rebounds but he met his match the following game when he came up against exciting UCLA rookie centre Kevin Love, who had a career-high 27 points and 14 rebounds.

Baynes was kept to just eight points and seven boards in the clash with a post-man his equal in height and weight.

The Cougars meet Oregon in their next conference clash on Monday.

Meanwhile, another Marlins national championship winner, Kerry Williams, was among North Idaho College’s best in its 85-54 win against Colorado Northwest Community College at the weekend.

Williams had eight points, three assists and four steals in the match in which the Cardinals bounced back to the winners’ circle after just their second loss of the season earlier in the weekend.

The College of East Utah beat North Idaho 77-62 last Saturday, a game in which Williams contributed nine points, six assists and three steals for his team.