WNCC men pick up 21st win with big win over Northeast Nebraska

               The Western Nebraska Community College men's basketball team used two huge first runs and then dominated play the rest of the way in securing the 85-52 sub-region win Saturday afternoon at Cougar Palace.

               The win was huge for the Cougars who are still alive for a shot to host the regional tournament. The win also snapped a two-game losing skid and pushed the Cougars to 8-2 in the sub-region standings. Northeastern Junior College is still on top of the sub-region with an 8-1 mark after coming back from an 18-point deficit against Laramie County Community College to win 64-57. Otero is up there as well in the standings with a 9-2 sub-region record.

               Saturday, however, the Cougars returned to their old self and won the game because of 52 percent shooting as well as out-rebounding Northeast 55-23. Terrance Motley and Du'Vaughn Maxwell put on a clinic as the two sophomores combined for 40 points. Motley led all scorers with 21 points, including a stretch in the first half that saw the Phoenix, Ariz., product score 12 straight points in the first half.

               "They came out and they were more unselfish then the previous two games. We started to remind ourselves of the little things that we need to do as a team to be successful," WNCC coach Russ Beck said. "I am pleased with the win. We are still focused on the prize and we are going to take it one game at a time and let the chips fall as they may. We just want to prepare ourselves to be playing our best ball at the regional tournament."

               Beck also said the rebounding edge was crucial as well as the team played well defensively.

               "Defensively, we were talking a lot more and we were playing better help-side defense," he said. "That put us in a better position to rebound the ball. The defense needs to stay on that track."

               WNCC and Northeast were tied at 8-8 early and then the Cougars went on a 9-0 run on two buckets each by Maxwell and Tahir Little for a 17-8 lead. The Hawks then scored four straight points, but that was when the Cougars went on the 14-0 run to lead 31-12 on their way to the 35-19 halftime lead.

               The second half was all WNCC as they never let the Hawks make two straight buckets. On the flipside, every Cougar that suited up scored as WNCC finished with 15 assists. Mike Peltz and Mason Smith had four assists each.

               Maxwell and Motley were the only Cougars in double figures, but Marko Kovacevic had a huge night with nine points and seven rebounds. Brady Mason also finished with seven points and five rebounds, while Little, Peltz and Allen Beck each had six points.

               Northeast was led by Cameron Adderley with 18 points, including connecting on 8 of 9 free throws. KJ Bluford also pitched in 10 points.

               WNCC, 21-6, will next be in action Wednesday night when they face Eastern Wyoming College in a sub-region contest in Torrington, Wyo. The game was originally slated for Tuesday, but was moved because of the Scottsbluff and Torrington high school boys game that was also slated for Tuesday.

               "That will be the border war and it will be a fun game," Beck said. "We will have to prepare ourselves both on the court and just mentally to go in there and compete with those guys."

NE Nebraska       19 33 -- 52

WNCC (21-5)      35 50 -- 85

NORTHEAST NEBRASKA

Jacquard Hagen 8, Jimmie Coleman 2, KJ Bluford 10, Rashad Ingraham 7, Cameron Adderley 18, Kyle Rutledge 4, Eric Tucker 3.

WNCC
Tahir Little 6, Mike Peltz 6, Allen Beck 6, Cal McCoy 2, Brady Mason 7, Du'Vaughn Maxwell 19, Mason Smith 3, Raul Delgado 4, Marko Kovacevic 9, Terrance Motley 21, Marcus Johnson 2.