The experience that Gering’s SeLina Ysac experienced at the NJCAA national tournament was nothing like competing at the Nebraska state basketball tournament for three years for Gering and Scottsbluff high school.
In fact, the 5-foot-9 guard now knows what it will take to finish higher at the national tournament after the Cougars finished 8th with a 66-45 loss to Shelton State College in the consolation finals on Saturday.
“This was very different then the state tournament. It was a good experience,’ the freshman said. “I think it helped all of us freshmen and sophomores of how we need to play of what it takes to get here and win a national title.”
WNCC finished 2-2 at the national tournament. After opening with a heart-breaking loss to Gulf Coast Community College 68-62 in which the team realizes they should have won, the team put together back-to-back wins against Monroe Community College 84-81 and then Walters State 55-54. The finished the tournament with the disappointing loss to Shelton State.
Ysac said the goal was to come down and show the the nation just how good WNCC basketball is. And, they did.
“We wanted to come down here and show people we are not this team that is going to lose,” she said. “We did really good and we did our best. It is too bad we lost, but I think we played our heart out.”
Ysac had a decent outing at the national tournament, In the consolation finals Saturday, the Scottsbluff High graduate finished with five poitns and five rebounds. She also had two assists.
In the team’s game against Walters State, ysac finished with just four points, but pulled down six rebounds.
Ysac said at first, she was really nervous on the court, playing at a national tournament.
“I think I got it in my head a little of being nervous,” she said about the early games. “But once I got out there on the court, I tried by best. Overall, I was nervous, but ut was a good experience of how and what I need to play next year.”
The one thing that Ysac said this team needs to do is work hard both during a game and in practice.
“We really need to work harder because a lot of times we under estimate teams and we just think we will come out with a win,” she said. “I think in practice, we need to work harder and take things more seriously.”
Playing at the championship level is nothing new for Ysac, who competed at the state basketball tournament for three season -- twice at Gering and once at Scottsbluff.
Next year, Ysac would love to get a better place at the national tournament. Still, she is happy with how this team performed this season, considering not many gave this team a shot of making the national tournament.
"We know people didn’t think we would get this far. We are proud of ourselves,” she said. “We got here and won two games and that is really good to win games down here. So, we are proud of ourselves.”
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