WNCC women, men top Williston in Border War Classic
The Western Nebraska Community College men’s and women’s basketball teams picked up wins over Williston State College Saturday in the second day of the Border Wars Classic in Gillette, Wyoming.
By News Channel NebraskaGILLETTE, Wyo. – The Western Nebraska Community College men’s and women’s basketball teams picked up wins over Williston State College Saturday in the second day of the Border Wars Classic in Gillette, Wyoming.
The No. 11-ranked Cougar women led from start to finish while putting four players in double figures to pick up the 99-59 win over Williston.
The Cougar men received a double-double from Carl Thorpe of 19 points and 10 rebounds and used a couple runs midway through the first half to take control and earn the 83-66 win over Williston State.
The WNCC men led 13-5 to begin the contest, but saw Williston State go on a 12-0 run to take a 17-13. The Cougars then went on a 12-0 run of their own behind two 3-pointers by Chancelor Johnson for a 25-17 lead. WNCC stretched the lead to 39-22 and led 47-23 at one juncture. Williston scored the final seven points of the half to trail 47-30.
The second half saw neither team make any ground of slicing the lead or expanding the lead as both teams scored 36 points. Williston sliced the lead to 55-38 but saw WNCC go back up 61-38. Williston did come back to cut the lead to single digits at 70-61, but three free throws by Carter Brown and then a big late run of 10-0 that saw Brown bury a trey gave the Cougars the win.
WNCC shot 44 percent from the field and buried 10 3-pointers, including three from Brown and two from Thorpe.
The Cougar men also controlled the boards, out-boarding Williston State 37-31. Biko Johnson had 14 boards while Thorpe had 10.
WNCC had four in double figures. Thorpe led the way with 19 points followed by Brown with 15, Them Koang with 14, and Agwa Nywesh with 10.
In the women’s contest, the 11th-ranked Cougar women had no trouble in picking up their ninth win of the season.
The closest Williston women got in the game was early in the first at 4-2. After that WNCC controlled the pace of the game in rolling to a 29-13 lead after the first quarter.
The second quarter saw WNCC jump to a 40-15 lead after an Ale’Jah Douglas 3-pointer and led 44-19 on two Yara Garcia free throws. After that, Williston outscored WNCC 11-6 including an 8-0 run. WNCC led at halftime 50-30.
The third quarter was all WNCC as the Cougars opened the third on an 14-5 run to lead 64-35. WNCC pushed the lead to 66-41 before going on a 13-4 run to lead 79-44. WNCC never looked back after that for their ninth win of the year.
WNCC shot 46 percent from the field and buried five 3-pointers. The Cougars were also 16 of 22 from the charity stripe.
WNCC owned the rebound battle 52-34. Aminata Zie had 14 points in the game followed by eight from Payton Fields.
Douglas led the Cougars with 22 points followed by ZIe with 18, Rashaan Smith with 14, and Martrice Brooks with 11. WNCC also received nine points from Fields and sic points from Garcia.
Both teams will wrap up the Border War Classic Sunday evening when they will face Miles Community College. The men tip off against the Pioneers at 5 p.m. followed by the women at 6:45 p.m.
Women’s Game
Williston 13 17 14 15 – 59
WNCC (9-1) 29 21 27 22 – 99
WILLISTON
Laiten Lantis 10, Brooklin Douglas 21, Hayley MacDonald 2, Jillian Litwiller 12, Sydney Labatte 9, Keeley Tini 5.
WNCC
Ale’Jah Douglas 22, Aminata Zie 18, Martrice Brooks 11, Payton Fields 9, Shayane Poirot 6, Yara Garcia 8, Amani Brown 5, Ashley Panem 2, Mia Jaye Sarkodee-Adoo 4, Rashaan Smith 14.
Men’s Game
Williston 30 36 – 66
WNCC 47 36 – 83
WILLISTON
Galdo Tutu 6, Ezekiel Spann 21, Malik Bakia 9, Clovis Gallon 16, Matt Dufner 8, Landon Lang 1, Fares Kacem 5.
WNCC
Carter Brown 15, Biko Johnson 6, Agwa Nywesh 10, Them Koang 14, Jasiya DeOllos 2, Dimitric Nikolic 3, Carl Thorpe 19, Chancelor Johnson 9, Sayo Owolabi 5.