“It is disappointing [to lose at the last second] but at the same time we are looking forward to playing them again,” the Scottsbluff graduate said. “It was a real physical game. It has always been like that with NJC. I think we should have won that game. I think we worked hard and we will get them next time.“
Ysac and the rest of the Cougar women will get another chance to overcome the loss on their home court as they get set to host the Region IX tournament March 6-10. That is good news for the Cougars as the Cougars’ Stormye Everett nailed a last second shot but it was after the buzzer went off.
“That [coming back from a halftime deficit] is a good sign to give us more intensity and hopefully we will see them in the semi-finals,” Ysac said. “We didn’t shoot very well tonight. Hopefully this week we will have some practices and hopefully we will be on in the regional tournament when it counts.”
WNCC coach Dave Harnish can attest to that as the Cougars were 0 of 13 from the 3-point arc and just 17 percent from the field for the game.
“This was very characteristic of the game down at NJC where we are down at halftime. Down there we came back and took the lead and had chance to win and it was the same way tonight,” he said. “We just didn’t shoot the ball very well. We have been shooting the ball very well and you certainly have to give credit to their defense. Shooting 17 percent we were even fortunate to be in the game. I am certainly proud of the kids. They played hard. We really didn’t turn it over a lot. We just didn’t shoot it well and you have some of those nights.”
The contest was an epic WNCC and NJC encounter. Back in January, the Plainswomen won 52-50 at Sterling, Colo., on a last second shot. This time, the Cougars were hoping to reverse the action. They almost did except the difference in the contest was field shooting. WNCC was just 16 percent from the field in the first half and 17 percent for the game.
NJC shot lights out in the first half, nailing 48 percent of their contest as the Plainswomen raced to a 25-15 halftime lead. In the second half, NJC scored the first five points as Kristy Henderson scored the first four points and Sabelle Diata had a free throw as the Plainswomen doubled up the Cougars 30-15.
That was with 17:51 left to play in the contest. After that, the Cougars settled down, going on a 13-0 run and holding the Plainswomen scoreless for eight minutes. The run started with Bayard’s Amber Kistler converting four free throws – two technical shots and two foul throws.
Kistler then nailed a bucket with 11 minutes left to bring WNCC within two points at 30-28. Two minutes later, WNCC’s Shaquilah Davis converted a 3-point play to tie the game at 31, which was the Cougars first tie of the game since early in the first half.
WNCC finally took its first lead of the contest on two Ysac free throws with 7:37 to play, 34-33, which was the start of a 6-0 run that gave the Cougars a 37-33 lead with just over five minutes to play.
Northeastern came storming back, tying the game at 37 on a bucket by Amy Marin with 4:10 left before taking a 42-39 lead with 47.8 second remaining. The Cougars didn’t fold as Davis nailed two free throws with 38.5 second to play. Silke Forstman added a bucket for NJC to put the No. 8 team in the nation back up by three, 44-41 with 21 seconds to play.
Davis sliced the lead to 44-43 with 16.6 seconds and then NJC’s Dawn Wattley missed two free throws to give WNCC a chance at the win. NJC blocked the first attempt of the winning field goal, but NJC immediately turned the ball over. WNCC, with 3.4 seconds left, had a chance to win it but the first attempt wouldn’t fall and the second try, but Everett, went in but the buzzer went off before the ball left her hand.
Davis led the team with 12 points. Ysac finished with nine points and six rebounds. Kistler and Everett finished with eight points. Everett had seven boards and four steals, and Tawny Drexler and Kistler had three and two steals each.
WNCC, 23-7, will next be in action at the Region IX tournament. WNCC received a first round bye in the tournament and will play Sunday, March 8 at 5 p.m. against the winner of the Western Wyoming Community College and Northwest College contest. That game is slated for March 7 at 5 p.m.
NJC (27-1) 25 19 – 44
WNCC (23-7) 15 28 – 43
NORTHEASTERN COLORADO
Amy Marin 10, Tira Callaway 2, Candace Ewert 2, Kristy Henderson 7, Chelsea Arnell 2, Sabelle Diata 5, Jessica Priest 7, Lacie Balakova 1, Silke Forstman 8.
WESTERN NEBRASKA
Amber Kister 8, SeLina Ysac 9, Shaquilah Davis 12, Stormye Everett 8, Tawny Drexler 5, Janae Willis 1.
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