The Western Nebraska Community College men's basketball team played one of their best first-halves this season in allowing just 28 points to Northeastern Junior College Saturday in their conference-opening contest.
The second half was a different story as NJC hit one free throw with 3.9 seconds remaining to claim the South Sub-Region 68-67 win over the Cougars.
WNCC will have little time to worry about that defeat as they host Dawson Community College Monday evening at 6 p.m. before entertaining Lamar Community College Wednesday night in conference action.
WNCC head coach Roybell Baez said Saturday's encounter was a typical WNCC and NJC rivalry game with both teams playing hard.
"It is a rivalry game against a good opponent and a really well-coached team," Baez said. "NJC and WNCC have been around for a long time and, you know, it really came down to who had the ball last. We just ended up coming up short. I told the guys at halftime let's not give the game away. We were up five at halftime and I'd be lying to you if I said we didn't give the game away."
The Cougars first half was one where the team needs to be proud as it was the first time all year a team scored less than 30 points in a quarter in the opening half. The previous low was back on November 25 when Eastern Wyoming College was just held to 30 points.
But, just like the EWC game, the opponent came back with at least 40 points in the second half. NJC outscored WNCC 40-34 in the second 20 minutes.
The first half, though, saw WNCC open with a 10-0 run and led 12-3 early. NJC did come within a single point early on at 16-15 and then 20-19. WNCC withstood the challenge and went on a 7-2 run to lead 27-21. WNCC led at halftime 33-28.
Tom Linis opened the second half with a triple and WNCC later went on a 6-0 run to lead 42-32. WNCC had a 45-34 lead on a Kellon Harris 3-pointer. That was when things turned as NJC went on a 10-0 run to get back to a single point, 45-44, and tied the game at 47-47.
The Cougars responded and scored the next six points for a 53-47 lead. NJC followed with a 14-2 run that saw the Plainsmen take their first lead of the night at 56-55 on a Jakobe Jones triple. NJC led 61-55 before the Cougars retook the lead with 2:05 to play on an Isaiah St. Preux 3-pointer.
NJC came back and led 66-62 with 1:21 to play. WNCC tied the game at 67-67 with 14 seconds to play on a Harris dunk. NJC came down the court and was playing for the last shot to possibly win the game. What happened is a foul was called as Quis Davis was in the paint with 3.9 seconds to play. Davis missed the front end, but made the second one for the one-point lead.
WNCC had 3.9 seconds to try to win the game but a beyond halfcourt shot was off the mark and the Plainsmen left Cougar Palace with the win.
WNCC shot 36 percent from the field and made 9-of-28 3-pointers. NJC shot 44 percent and were 4-of-21 from the 3-point arc. The difference in the game was free throw shooting where NJC was 24-of-38 while WNCC was 18-of-24.
The Cougars had three in double figures. Harris led the way with 17 points followed by 14 from St. Preux and 13 from Viktor Lukic-Gavric.
Baez said this loss hurts, but he is confident in his team to bounce back Monday against Dawson and then Wednesday and Saturday against Lamar and Southeast Community College.
"It will be a quick turnaround. We play Dawson on Monday and not time to feel sorry for ourselves," he said. "It has been a rough season from injuries you know and other things going on and one thing that I've learned is that anytime you start feeling sorry for yourself, that's when you get beat again. So, no time to feel sorry for ourselves. Back to the drawing boards and gotta be ready to go on Monday."
NJC 28 40 – 68
WNCC 33 34 – 67
NJC
Quis Davis 20, Ethan Carter 15, Jakobe Jones 13, Alan Acevedo Dagda 5, Dodge Davis 4, Xavier Shufford 4, Colby Homer 3, Ethan Thyne 2, Chase Manzani 2.
WNCC
Kellon Harris 17, Isaiah St. Preux 14, Viktor Lukic-Gavric 13, Noah Jones 8, Toms Linis 8, Melchi Egbeyemi 4, Dorin Nguema 2, Xavier Kirkpatrick 1.