WNCC women put five in double figures to get by Hastings College J.V.

                  The Western Nebraska Community College women’s basketball team put five players in double figures and created 19 steals in capturing an 89-42 win over Hastings College junior varsity in the first day of the Lady Cougar Holiday Classic at Cougar Palace Thursday evening.

                Idil Ozbayrak paced the team with 14 points, while also recording a team-high seven rebounds and eight assists. Also collecting double digits on the night were Samantha Sanders with 13 points, Lisa Durden with 12, Kyra Peterson with 11 and Leona Garrett with 10.

                In the first game of the night, Air Force Prep survived 67-63 in overtime. Action will continue Friday when Air Force Prep takes on Hastings at 5 p.m. followed by WNCC and Colby meeting at 7 p.m. The Classic wraps up Saturday with two games beginning at 1 p.m.

                WNCC coach Dave Harnish said his team played hard except for the last three minutes of the first half when they allowed Hastings to outscore the Cougars 12-5.

                “I was disappointed in the last five minutes of the first half as we got up by 23 points and then we gave up two or three threes late in the half and kind of let them back in it,” he said. “I was disappointed that we didn’t play for 20 minutes in the first half but we did that in the second half. I thought we played solid defense in the second half and the offense had rhythm. Besides the last part of the first half, I thought we played pretty well.”

                Harnish said that what makes this team tick is their defensive intensity and creating steals sets the offense in motion for some fast-break scoring opportunities. WNCC recorded 19 steals on the night and dished out 27 assists.

                “We need that [knack to get steals]. We need to create turnovers because we are not real great in the half court,” he said. “We always have to create turnovers but I think the defense has been solid all semester and hopefully it will continue the next two nights.”

                WNCC led 42-26 at intermission and kept playing like a fine-oiled machine. The Cougars ran to a 54-29 lead early in the second half and later 58-35. That is when the defense really picked up steam, holding the Broncos scoreless for about four minutes as WNCC went on a 17-0 run.

                The run was highlighted by five points from Peterson, who saw her first action in since the Thanksgiving tournament. Ajsa Zdovc also chipped on four points in the run. WNCC finished off the contest with nine straight points, six of which came from Durden.

                Harnish said his team will have to come out ready in the final two days to pick up wins against Colby and Prep to finish off the season on an up note.

                “We need games like what is coming up. We are shooting the ball a little bit better since we are back home,” he said. “But it will be two tough games back to back playing Colby and Air Force. But, the way we played tonight, I think the team will be ready and good things will happen.”

First Game

Air Force Prep 67, Colby 63 OT

AF Prep                                29 29 9 – 67

Colby CC              22 36 5 – 63

AIR FORCE PREP

Christina Gamble 1, Erica Norwood 29, Samantha Fender 16,Saphira Philson 4, Ashley Cunningham 7, Danielle Jackson 8, Taylor Parker 2.

COLBY

Brooke Bursiek 9, Morgan Rickwartz 5, Katarina Popovic 1, Emily Torson 4, Shantydra Arnold 7, Liga Vente 19, Marie McAbee 18.

Second Game

WNCC 89, Hastings 42

Hastings JV                         26 16 -- 42

WNCC                                   43 46 -- 89

HASTINGS JV

Kenzie Archer 13, Erin Vanderpool 3, Rachel Walton 5, Amanda Downey 4, Sydney Gartner 2, Abby Jo Schantz 2, Jaime Blevins 5, Amber Rasmussen 8.

WNCC

Samantha Sanders 13, Leona Garrett 10, Lisa Durden 12, Kyra Peterson 11, ChaCha Ofoegbu 9, Idil Ozbayrak 14, Kelsey Doddridge 6, Jessica Aratani 8, Ajsa Zdovc 6.