The Western Nebraska Community College men’s basketball team had a fast start behind the dunking of Kendrick Preston and the hot 3-point shooting to power the team over Laramie County Community College 94-72 Wednesday evening at Cougar Palace.
                The win was a marked contrast to their game on Tuesday against Eastern Wyoming College where the team didn’t score 30 points. Wednesday, the Cougars shot 56 percent from the field and buried 15 3-pointers.
                “We played a lot better than what we have been,” WNCC head coach Roybell Baez said. “We shot really well hitting 15 threes and it felt like everything we through up tonight went in and that is the game. There is not much to it.”
                Baez loved the fast start that saw Preston start with back-to-back opening dunks and then a barrage of 3-pointers, one by Kellon Harris and back-to-back triples by Elijah Burney and Elijah Hollins.
                “I stressed to the guys before the game that we have to get off to a fast start because last night (Tuesday against EWC) we got off to a slower start than we have all year,” Baez said. “I told the guys, we have to get off to a good start because they are a good team. They just beat North Platte at home and North Platte is a really good team and then lost to McCook on a last second shot. I knew they were going to come in ready.
“You are not going to shoot 50 perfect from the three every night and we were very, very lucky to do that tonight. I think the guys were hungry and desperate. The one thing I had on the board tonight was desperate. We are a desperate team and didn’t want to lose back-to-back because we did that once this season at Snow. I thought they did a really good job of staying together and doing the game plan.”
                WNCC shooting was lights out as they shot 56 percent from the field and 52 percent from beyond the arc (15-of-29). The Cougars were only 1-of-4 from the free throw line. LCCC, on the other hand, shot 34 percent from the field and 28 percent from behind the arc (7-of-25). The Golden Eagles connected on 15-of-25 charity tosses.
                The Cougars put six players into double figures, led by Harris and Mathiang Maker each with 15 points. Preston tallied 14 points followed by Hollins with 13, Noah Jones with 11, and Isaiah St. Preux with 10.j
                Eight different players connected on a 3-pointer, led by Harris and Hollins with three triples each.
                WNCC also controlled the glass, out-rebounding LCCC 42-33. Harris and Hollins each had six rebounds.
                WNCC led 13-2 and later led 25-8 on a Maker bucket. WNCC led 39-16 before LCCC finally made back-to-back buckets. The Cougars led 49-26 at halftime.
                The second half was evenly played between both teams as LCCC outscored the Cougars 46-45. WNCC kept the lead for the most part at 20 or more points. The Golden Eagles did slice the deficit to under 20 points at 83-64 late, but never could get any closer.
                WNCC, 2-3, will have four days off until Monday when they host Gillette College that begins a busy week next week with four games in six days.
 
LCCC                  26 46 – 72
WNCC                49 45 – 94
LCCC
TJ Coulter 19, Phoenix Bullock 9, Brevin Phillips 7, Davion Butler 16, Nikko Collette-Ighile 5, Amadin Colette-Ighile 2, Kevin Sylla 14.
WNCC
Kellon Harris 15, Elijah Hollins 13, Elijah Burney 3, Kendrick Preston 14, Toms Linis 6, Noah Jones 11, Reece Randolph 3, Isaiah St. Preux 10, Mathiang Maker 15, Witold Czerenkiewicz 4.