Tuesday, November 06, 2012

WNCC men fall in overtime to Sheridan College 107-104



              [11/3/2012]  GILLETTE, Wyo. -- Willie Mangum and Charles Ward combined for 75 points, but it wasn't enough as the Western Nebraska Community College men's basketball team fell in overtime to Sheridan College 107-104 Saturday at Gillette, Wyo.
                WNCC head coach Russ Beck said his team did everything right to get back in the game and had chances to win, but the Generals made the final bucket to win the game.
                "After battling back from 17 points down early in the first half to make it a game we took a five point lead in late in the second half," Beck said. "A late Sheridan run tied the game and Sheridan had the ball with the shot clock off. A Cougar defensive stop forced overtime."
                Beck said the five minute overtime period was intense.
                "In overtime, it once again came down to a tie with Sheridan with the ball and the shot clock turned off," he said. "After running the clock down, Sheridan's Ron Mvoulka took a three over a contested hand and hit the three with .9 tenths of a second left in the game. After a timeout for WNCC, the full court desperation shot was unsuccessful."
                The Cougars played without sophomore Tahir Little, who was out with an injury. Still, Beck praised how hard his team played in the game.
                "We sure could have used his [Tahir's} defense," he said. "I loved how we competed."
                The Cougars had plenty of top performances, but nothing that Mangum and Ward accomplished. Mangum lead the Cougar players with 38 points, while Ward finished with 37 points.
                Also for the Cougars, Quantee Cooley had nine points, Chad Calcaterra had six points, Rich Williams had five points, and Youssoupha Kane had eight points.
                Cody Johnson pulled down nine rebounds to lead the team, while Kane had five rebounds.
                It doesn't get any easier for the Cougars as they will take on last year's national champions South Plains College on Tuesday on the road.

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