MCCOOK – The Western Nebraska Community College women’s basketball team put four players in double figures and overcame a halftime deficit to register a Region IX South Sub-region win over McCook Community College 68-56 Friday evening in McCook.

                The Cougars had a totally different half as the Cougar women shot just 27 percent from the field in the first half and were 10 percent from beyond the arc. The second half was a totally different story as the Cougars shot 55 percent and 33 percent from the 3-point area as WNCC outscored the Indians 42-28 to claim the win.

                The first quarter was tight with both teams feeling each other. WNCC led 12-8 and later 14-10 before leading 16-14 at the end of the first quarter.

                The second quarter saw McCook tie the game at 19-19 on a 3-pointe, but WNCC came back to take a 24-20 lead. The Cougars led 26-23 when McCook scored the final five points of the half to lead at intermission 28-26.

                The third quarter saw McCook up 32-30 before the Cougars went on a 9-0 run that was led by Shiho Isono with a trey and a bucket by Rashaan Smith to put the Cougars up 39-32. WNCC closed out the half leading 47-39.

                The fourth quarter saw WNCC go up 51-43 on a free throw by Faith Walker. Things changed as McCook went on a 9-3 run to cut the Cougar lead to just three, 54-51. WNCC rebounded as Jayla Owen hit a three and then Mackenzie Joseph had a bucket to put WNCC up by 10, 61-51.

                WNCC kept playing well in the final stanza as they closed out the game on a six run and holding McCook scoreless the last three minutes of the contest.

                A big reason for the Cougars win was free throw shooting. The Cougars went to the line 43 times and cashed in on 25 of those charity stripes. McCook was just 13-of-19 from the free throw line.

                WNCC placed four in double figures in a very balanced scoring column. Ola Duda finished with a double-double with 12 points and 11 rebounds. Duda also had fur blocks and two assists.

                Owen also tallied 12 points in the win while Isono and Smith each had 11 points.

                WNCC, 12-7 and 1-0 in conference play, will be back in action next weekend when they travel to Otero College on Friday and Trinidad State College on Saturday afternoon.

 

WNCC (12-7)      16 10 21 21 – 68

McCook               14 14 11 17 – 56

WNCC

Mackenzie Joseph 9, Ola Duda 12, Shiho Isono 11, Jayla Owen 12, Bre Fowler 4, Yara Garcia 8, Faith Walker 1, Rashaan Smith 11.

MCCOOK

Vanessa Jurewicz 17, Taryn Lindsey 6, Marta Moya Perez 7, Noa Iglesias Chorda 7, Natalie Harmata 8, Rebecca Dunn 2, Itziar Aransay Badia 9.

WNCC men claim 75-71 win over McCook

               MCCOOK -- The Western Nebraska Community College men’s basketball team received 30 points from Biko Johnson with five 3-pointers as the Cougars opened South Sub-region play with a thrilling 75-71 win over McCook Friday evening.

                This game was one of comebacks for both teams and it was WNCC’s 11-3 run over the final 2:25 that proved the difference.

                WNCC seemed to be in control in the first half as they built a 29-16 lead and led 34-20 on a Johnson 3-pointer. WNCC led by 11 at halftime 38-27.

                The second half saw WNCC push the lead to 15 points at 44-29 on a Zach O’Callaghan bucket and led 55-44 on a Stephen Ovia field goal after Johnson hit three free throws after being fouled on a 3-point attempt.

                That was when McCook started to play as they Indians went on an 8-0 to cut the deficit to 55-52. WNCC came back to go up 62-54 on a Johnson bucket.

                WNCC then stalled out offensively as the Indians made a charge going on a 16-2 run. McCook took their first lead  of the game at 66-64 and then led 70-64.

                The Cougars regrouped behind a 3-pointer by Johnson to cut into the deficit and then tied the game at 70-70 with 55.5 seconds to play on a Johnson old-fashioned 3-point play. McCook went back in front 71-70 hitting just one of two free throws with 44.8 seconds. WNCC played strong defense and Johnson hit a 3-pointer with 17 seconds to play for a 73-71 lead.

                O’Callaghan then drew a big offensive charge with 5.1 seconds to play and the Indians fouled CJ Johnson with 3.9 seconds to play. CJ hit both shots and then the Cougars snuck out of McCook with their first sub-region win of the year.

                WNCC shot better than McCook from the field, making 52.8 percent of their shots. WNCC was also 50 percent from the 3-point arc with six made treys. McCook shot 39 percent from the field and were 30 percent from beyond the arc (8-of-27).

                Both teams grabbed 34 rebounds. Carl Thorpe led WNCC with 10 boards while Biko Johnson had eight.

                WNCC had just one player in double figures as Johnson had 30 points on 10-of-13 shooting from the field. Thorpe and O’Callaghan each had nine points while Ovia had eight points.

                WNCC will be off until next weekend when they hit the road for two more sub-region contests against Otero College on Friday and Trinidad State College on Saturday.

 

WNCC (10-7)      38 37 – 75
McCook               27 44 – 71

WNCC
Dimitrije Nikolic 4, Carl Thorpe 9, Daniel Bula 6, Zach O’Callaghan 9, CJ Johnson 4, Biko Johnson 30, Stephen Ovia 8, Maurice Walker 5.
MCCOOK

Simon Akena 19, William Humer 6, Noah Boyed 15, Medit Lueeth 11, Zeki Cavli 8, Martel Evans 3, Jah-Keish Demby 3, Lamine Nidone 6.