Cougar women defeat Hastings College junior varsity

             

                [12-7-2012] The sixth-ranked Western Nebraska Community College women’s basketball put five players in double figures and remained undefeated with a 90-41 win over Hastings College junior varsity in the second day of the Holiday Classic on Friday at Cougar Palace.

                The Cougars controlled the game from the get-go with a strong start. Laurin Rivera, a freshman from Colorado Springs, Colo., said this team has a knack to start strong.

                “We are all ready to play in every game so that is good,” she said. “We just come out strong and don’t focus on what the other team is; we just come out strong in every game and that is what gets us the lead.”

                The Cougars scored the first 21 points of the contest with a tenacious defense that had three steals and two 3-pointers from Shalisa Moffit and Jess Samorodova. Hastings’ first bucket didn’t come until six minutes was gone as Abby Jackson picked the pocket of Gritt Ryder for the easy score.

                WNCC came right back and scored 14 straight points, including back-to-back buckets by Rivera to go up 35-2 before leading 43-8 at halftime.

                The big reason for the Cougars strong their ability to take the ball to the hole and that is what they did a night after they connected on 12 3-pointers against Colby on Thursday. The Cougars connected on just 6 of 11 treys in Friday’s contest as Shalisa Moffit had three.

                Rivera said this team can score from anywhere on the court.

                “This game was definitely a driving to the basket game,” she said. “We can definitely do both like shoot from outside and drive inside. Tonight, we just played really well together and I am excited that we have a victory.”

                Hastings started the second half by connecting on two 3-pointers by Rachel Walton and Jackson, but the Cougars depth was too much for Hastings as WNCC went up 57-15 and then used a late run15-6 run to open up an 80-32 lead that was aided by 3-pointers by Rivera and Kelsey Doddridge and four points from Katie Kerkhoff.

                The Cougars blistered the nets for 62 percent shooting compared to 25 percent for Hastings. Once again, the Cougars shared the ball on the court, dishing out 29 assists and getting 24 steals. Rivera paced the team with eight assists while getting four steals. Mikayla Brower, Gritt Ryder, and Moffit all had four assists. Ryder and Maurissa Ortega led the team with five steals each.

                The Cougars offensive output was enormous with five players in double figures while the Cougar bench outscored Hastings 43-9.

                Samorodova and Ryder paced the team with 14 points each followed by Rivera’s 11 points, and Ortega and Jessica Aratani each with 10 points.

                WNCC, 13-0, will wrap up the Holiday Classic as they face Air Force Prep at 3 p.m. at Cougar Palace. Air Force Prep came back from a 12-point second-half deficit to sting Colby Community College 61-58 on a last-second shot. The first game on Saturday has Colby facing Hastings at 1 p.m.

Hastings JV                         8 33 – 41

WNCC (13-0)                      43 47 – 90

HASTINGS JV

Jesi Markvicka 4, Abby Jackson 8, Katie Hofer 5, Rachel Walton 9, Haley Gebers 7, Chelsie White 4, Kyle Gee 2, Makenzie Mudloff 2.

WNCC

Laurin Rivera 11, Kelsey Doddridge 6, Gritt Ryder 14, Shalisa Moffit 9, Katie Kerkhoff 8, Maurissa Ortega 10, Michelle Brassard 2, Ashley Stevens 4, Jessica Aratani 10, Jenna Lindquist 2, Jess Samorodova 14.

WNCC women defeat Colby Community College

                [12-6-2012] The Western Nebraska Community College women’s basketball team blistered the nets for 12 2-pointers and the No. 6-ranked Cougars ran past Colby Community College 94-47 in the first day of the Holiday Classic at Cougar Palace on Thursday.

                The win pushed the Cougars to 12-0. It was also the third straight game where the Cougars scored 90 or more points.

                Jessica Aratani, who led the Cougars with 14 points along with Jess Samorodova, said they played well offensively.

                “Our offense was really on and we came out in the second half and played tough defense, holding them under 50 points, so we are really happy with that,” the sophomore from Morrill said. “We are always happy when our offense is working right. I think our defense creates our offense and we are really known for our defense and that is what helps us winning all these games.”

                WNCC had the hot hand shooting in the first half especially from beyond the arc. The Cougars were 9 of 15 from the 3-point line for 60 percent and shot 52 percent from the field. Mikayla Brower and Kelsey Doddridge each buried three 3-pointers in the opening half, while Shalisa Moffit had two treys.

                A big key for the Cougars’ hot shooting was ball movement. The Cougars finished with 31 assists in the contest and the quick passing opened up shooters from the outside.

                “Coach Harnish always preaches to us to not be selfish and play as a team,” Aratani said. “That is what we have on the team is good team chemistry and that is what is going to take us far in the season.”

                The way the team is playing right know both offensively and defensively is definitely giving the players some momentum. Aratani said while it is hard to stay up while winning by 30 points, the key is to keep playing hard as they enter the second semester with key sub-region games.

                “Coach Harnish keeps telling it is hard to stay motivated when we are winning big, but with all the success we are having, it will keep motivating us,” she said. “We are going to start coming into the more difficult part of our season next semester and we should be ready.”

                The Cougars were definitely ready on Thursday.               WNCC trailed just once in the contest as Colby’s Linda Pagrode scored the opening bucket. After that, it was all Cougars as WNCC jumped out to a 22-4 lead behind nine points from Samorodova, two treys from Moffit and a 3-pointer by Brower.

                WNCC pushed the lead to 30-7 before both teams started to trade buckets left and right. The Cougars led 53-32 at halftime.

                The Cougars picked up their defense in the second half, outscoring the Trojans 25-2 in the first nine minutes of the game to lead 78-34 for the victory.

                WNCC had four players in double figures. Besides Samorodova and Aratani’s 14 points, Moffit and Doddridge each finished with 11 points. Brower and Gritt Ryder each finished with nine points each.

                Moffit dished out seven assists, while Ryder had six and Brower four. The Cougars also generated 26 Colby turnovers, while the Cougars turned the ball over just eight times.

                WNCC will be back in action Friday in the second day of the Holiday Classic, facing the Hastings College junior varsity at 5 p.m. The opening game at 3 p.m. will have Colby against the Air Force Prep, while the nightcap will have the WNCC Cougar men taking on Northwest Kansas Technical College at 7 p.m.

Colby                     32 15 – 47

WNCC (12-0)      53 41 – 94

COLBY

Liene Liepina 9, Agnese Aramina 10, Shantydra Arnold 7, Kytiana Seals 4, Ashlon Gaines 4, Linda Pagrode 10, Desiree Jones 1, Haley Dinkel 2.

WNCC

Mikayla Brower 9, Laurin Rivera 5, Kelsey Doddridge 11, Gritt Ryder 9, Shalisa Moffit 11, Maurissa Ortega 4, Simone Evans 5, Michelle Brassard 5, Alyssa Yates 4, Ashley Stevens 3, Jessica Aratani 14, Jess Samorodova 14.

WNCC's Melo earns AVCA West Region Coach of the Year honor

Western Nebraska Community College volleyball coach Giovana Melo is up for American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) national coach of the year honors after being selected as a West Region Coach of the Year.
                The AVCA selects eight coaches from the four regions as finalists for the national coach of the year honor, The national coach of the year will be announced at the AVCA annual convention Dec. 13 in Louisville, Kent.
                Melo is in her fifth year as head coach of the WNCC volleyball program and helped lead this year’s team to a 40-3 record and a runner-up finish at the NJCAA national tournament. The Cougars strung together 34 straight wins before falling in the national championship match to the College of Southern Idaho.
                This is Melo’s third consecutive year garnering AVCA West Region Coach of the Year honors.
                Other coaches up for the national honor include Heidi Cartisser of College of Southern Idaho, Sharon Nelson of San Jacinto College, Nabil Mardini of Los Angeles Pierce College, Darin McBroom of Iowa Western Community College, Chip Will of Grand Rapids Community College, Nephtali Delgado Reyes of Monroe College, and Gary Larkin of Hillsborough Community College.
                Melo has a 225-17 coaching record at WNCC, including a national title in 2010. Her teams have always finished in the top four at the national tournament.
                Melo played for WNCC in 2001 and 2002, earning first team all-American honors her sophomore year. Melo then went on to play at NCAA Division I Arizona State.

Youngblood, Martins earn first team NJCAA, AVCA all-American honors

                Western Nebraska Community College volleyball players Danika Youngblood and Luiza Martins were honored by the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) and the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) last week with first-team All-American honors.

                Youngblood, a 5-8 sophomore outside hitter from South Jordan, Utah, and Martins, a 5-9 freshman setter from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, helped lead the Cougar women to a 40-3 record and a runner-up finish at the NJCAA Division I national tournament in November. The two were just part of a Cougar team that had could have had a number of others receive the honor, according to head coach Giovana Melo.

                “It [the honors] says a lot about the program but I give the credit to all the other players as well,” she said. “They get better because of each other. We had an extremely talented team this year and they made each other better every day.”

                The NJCAA selects first and second team selections as well as honorable mention in each of the divisions of one, two, and three. The AVCA’s selection is a combination of all the two-year college no matter division or state association. The only other first-team all-American was Morgan Heise of Central Community College-Columbus.

                Melo said it was an honor to watch Youngblood and Martins on the court this season.

                “My memories are of them enjoying playing with each other and as a team,” she said. “They are both hard working kids and brought a lot of energy to this team.”

                Melo said that Youngblood really stepped up her game this season, both on and off the court.

                “Danika had a great season,” she said. “I think she matured as a player and as a person.”

                Youngblood finished her sophomore season with 474 kills, 401 digs, 37 blocks, and 24 ace serves. She finished the season third in the nation in kills, kills per set and total attacks. She was also 8^th overall in points per set at 4.4 while accumulating 520 points (kills plus aces plus solo blocks).

                Youngblood and Martins each were selected to the NJCAA national tournament all-tournament team. The two were also on the Region IX South all-region team. Martins was also picked as the Region IX Setter of the Year and Freshman of the Year.

                Martins had an outstanding season finishing with 10.26 assists per set. She also had 55 kills, 282 digs, and 36 ace serves. Melo said Martins became more comfortable her style of play as the season went along. Martins was third in the nation in total assists (1,334) and fifth in assists per set.

                “Luiza struggled a little bit in the beginning with the language, getting used to a new game, and the different culture but I think by the end of the season she was able to pull all together,” Melo said. “She is a great setter and still has a lot of room to improve.”

                Youngblood and Martins selection as first-team all-Americans by the NJCAA marks the third time in the last four years that WNCC has had two first-team all-Americans. Last year Fernanda Goncalves and Debora Araujo earned that honor and both players now playing at NCAA Division I Cal State-Bakersfield.

                Kaleinani Kabalis and Sabina Piegza were tabbed first team all-Americans in 2009, while Fatima Balza and Nayka Benitez were all-Americans in 2008. All four played at Division I schools after WNCC. Piegza just finished her senior season at St. Johns University, while Kabalis played her final season at South Dakota State after playing a year at Washington State.

                Balza, who is now the assistant coach for WNCC, won two national championships at Penn State. Benitez went on to play at Creighton and is now playing professionally in Puerto Rico.

                Melo said it is an honor to see this success with this program.

                “Honestly, I try to teach them [the players] to strive for success as becoming better people and getting better each day,” she said. “The accomplishments come as consequence of their hard work.”

Cougar women ranked No. 6 in nation, host Lady Cougar Holdiay Classic this weekend

The Western Nebraska Community College women’s basketball team is living up to the national attention they are receiving right now, vaulting in the national spotlight with a No. 6 ranking in the latest NJCAA national polls.

                The ranking or unbeaten record is not a surprise to the team. Ashley Stevens, a freshman form Bridgeport, said what they are doing on the court is a testament of the hard work they have put in during the pre-season.

                “It has been a long road to get here but it is nice that all the hard work is paying off,” she said. “We put in a lot of hard work we first came here, including getting up on Fridays and running our miles to.”

                Stevens said the only pressure that is on their back is the everyday pressure of playing together as a unit.

                “There is the pressure that we need to play good every game. It will be nice if we can keep going this way, but if not, we will need to regroup and get back on it,” she said. “Being ranked is news to me and it is good that we are getting some recognition now. We just need to play every game because we know everybody will be after us knowing that we are up there.”

                The Cougars will showcase their talent to the fans this weekend when they host the Lady Cougar Holiday Classic. Action begins Thursday when the Cougars face Colby Community College at 7 p.m. Action continues Friday and Saturday as the Cougars face Hastings College junior varsity on Friday at 5 p.m. and then Air Force Prep at 3 p.m. on Saturday.

                Stevens said they are looking forward to playing at home this weekend.

                “This weekend we just need to keep our noses to the grindstone and pushing through,” she said. “We can never give up on anything. Even if we are tired, we still need to keep going. It is the will to win more than anything.”

                The Cougars success this season is a combination of a stellar defense and an offense that just gets the job done. Stevens said having those two components equals wins for the team. The Cougars are in the top 20 in scoring at 74.9 points a game. WNCC has scored over 85 points a game four times season, including a 96-31 win over Colorado Christian.

                Better yet, the Cougars defense right now is one of the best in school history as the Cougars are giving up just 40 points a game. The Cougars have given up the least amount of points in Region IX this season with the other regionals with Central Wyoming allowing giving up 50 points a game and Eastern Wyoming College allowing 60 points a game.

                Stevens said having both sides of the ball performing well is a testament to the work ethic of the players.

                “Our defensive pressure is what helps gets us our offensive points,” she said. “What we are doing is just a team effort.”

                WNCC’s explosion in the rankings has come as a surprise. The Cougars last were ranked in the nation in February 2011. Last season, the Cougars never were ranked. This season, the Cougars entered the rankings at No. 22 on Nov. 21. Then, after bettering Casper College by 30 points 72-42 on Nov. 20, the Cougars leapfrogged the competition to a number 8 ranking last week.

                This week, the Cougars are tied at sixth with Georgia Highlands College. The top five in the poll include North Idaho College at 9-0 on top followed by Hutchinson Community College (10-0), Northwest Florida State College (10-0), Iowa Western Community College (11-0), and Trinity Valley Community College (11-1).

                Only one other Region IX team is ranked and that is Gillette College at No. 14 with a 12-1 record.

                The rankings this season will play a big part in the national tournament after the NJCAA revamped the men’s and women’s tournament. Gone is the 16-team tournament with a consolation bracket. Instead, the tournament is now up to 24 teams with the addition of four at-large teams along with four different regions each year getting a second team into the tournament. Region IX won’t get an automatic second team until 2016, but they still can get an at-large team besides the Region IX champion.

                Nationals will now feature a single elimination tournament beginning on Monday and one loss and a team’s season is finished. The at-large teams will be determined by three factors, and the rankings in the national polls play a 60 percent factor in the selection. After that, 20 percent each of the at-large selection will be based on strength of schedule and the region’s history at the national tournament.

                For now, though, the Cougar women are focused on the task at hand and that is just getting better game by game. Stevens said this team has a lot of talent, especially after this weekend when they beat a talented Las Vegas Heat all-star team that featured players that played at Division I schools. WNCC won 91-68 against Heat.

                “They [Las Vegas Heat] were very athletic and knew what to do,” she said. “They played college basketball before. Coach Harnish told us that one of the girls played at Notre Dame. They were just smart. We just ran the floor well because they weren’t in shape like us, so we had to tire them out.”

                The Las Vegas Heat and Casper wins really have set this team apart. Stevens said the depth of the team is starting to stand out.

                “We have a full bench of players that can come in at any time,” she said. “Offensively this team is starting to gel. We are getting to a point where we can see each other. We play well together and we know where each other will go. Our offense is coming around a lot.”

                After this weekend’s Holiday Classic, the Cougars will wrap up the first semester with a road trip to Colorado Christian junior varsity on Tuesday. Then the Cougars will begin sub-region play in January with hopes of winning the south sub-region and hosting the Region IX tournament in March.

Lady Cougar Holiday Classic Schedule

Thursday, Dec. 6

7 p.m. – WNCC vs. Colby

Friday, Dec. 7

3 p.m. – Colby vs. Air Force Prep

5 p.m. – WNCC vs. Hastings College J.V.

7 p.m. – WNCC men vs. Northwest Kansas Tech

Saturday, Dec. 8

1 p.m. – Colby vs. Hastings College J.V.

3 p.m. – WNCC vs. Air Force Prep

WNCC go to 11-0 with win over Air Force Prep

Courtesy of Jeremy Woznick Star-Herald Sports Reporter
 

[12/1/2012] COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — Another powerful offensive display ignited the Western Nebraska Community College women’s basketball team to its 11^th straight win to start the season during the final day of the Air Force Prep Tournament on Saturday in Colorado Springs, Colo.

A day after piling up 91 points, the Cougars hit the 90-point mark again with a 90-36 win over Air Force Prep. WNCC is now 11-0 on the season.

“I thought we played real well,” WNCC coach Dave Harnish said. “We came out strong and were able to build a big lead early. Everyone was able to get into the game and I thought everyone contributed very well.”

The game was decided well before the first half ended as the Cougars moved out to a 46-15 advantage at intermission.

Ten different Cougars cracked the scoring column. Gritt Ryder led the way offensively with 20 points. Jess Samorodova added 18 points. Shalisa Moffit and Simone Evans both tallied nine points each, while Ashley Stevens finished with eight.

Lopsided victories have become a common theme for WNCC throughout the opening stretch of the season. Harnish said his young squad is progressing nicely and has earned its unbeaten record.

“We’ve played well enough to be 11-0,” Harnish said. “I think we’ve outplayed our opponent in every game and we’ve played with a lot of intensity night in and night out. By doing that, it’s got us to where we are at.”

WNCC will return home to host the Cougar Holiday Classic beginning Thursday. Following those three straight games, the Cougars will conclude the first-semester portion of their schedule on Dec. 11 playing at the Colorado Christian junior varsity.

WNCC (11-0) 46 44 — 90

Air Force Prep 15 21 — 36

WNCC

Gritt Ryder 20, Jess Samorodova 18, Jessica Aratani 6, Ashley Stevens 8, Shalisa Moffit 9, Simone Evans 9, Michelle Brassard 7, Kelsey Doddridge 3, Jenna Lindquist 3, Alyssa Yates 2.

WNCC men fall to Sheridan College

[12/1/2012] SHERIDAN, Wyo. — The Western Nebraska Community College men’s basketball team dropped an 84-69 setback to Sheridan College on Saturday at the Holiday Classic in Sheridan, Wyo.
               Willie Mangum paced the Cougars offensively with 24 points. Charles Ward added 19 points. Both Mangum and Ward hit a pair of 3-pointers.
               Cody Johnson finished with eight points, while Tahir Little and Rich Williams each added seven.
               Johnson led WNCC on the glass with 13 rebounds. Youssoupha Kane blocked four shots and Little dished out three assists.
               WNCC shot 30 percent from the field and 70 percent at the free-throw line (21 of 30).
               Three Generals scored in double figures to pace Sheridan. Ron Mvouika led the way with 21 points. Iakeem Alston had 18 and Victor Bermudez added 15. Mvouika finished with a double-double as he also led the Generals on the glass with 11 rebounds.
               Sheridan shot 33 percent from the field and 60 percent from the free-throw line (14 of 23).
               WNCC returns to action on Friday when they host Northwest Kansas Technical College at 7 p.m. After that, the Cougars will hit the road to play in the Northwest Wyoming Classic on Dec. 14 and 15 before breaking for Christmas.

WNCC (4-5)         29 40 — 69
Sheridan              37 47 — 84
WNCC
Tahir Little 7, Quante Cooley 2, Willie Mangum 24, Charles Ward 19, Cody Johnson 8, Rich Williams 7, Chad Calcaterra 2.

WNCC women go to 10-0 win big win over Las Vegas Heat

[Nov. 30, 2012]  COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – Jess Samorodova poured in 31 points and the Western Nebraska Community College women’s basketball team improved to 10-0 with an impressive win 91-68 against the Las Vegas Heat in the second day of the Air Force Prep tournament on Friday.
                WNCC coach Dave Harnish said they shot the ball a lot better against the Heat then they did on Thursday against the Adam College junior varsity. The Cougars converted on nine 3-pointers, led by Shalisa Moffitt with three treys and Samorodova and Laurin Rivera with two each.
                “The first half we struggled a little bit defensively. They are a good team with some height,” Harnish said. “We then scored a lot better in the second half.”
                Samorodova, the 6-foot-3 post player from Russia had a season-best score of 31 points followed by Moffit with 11 points and Jessica Aratani with 10 points. Kelsey Doddridge followed with nine points, while Mikayla Brower and Rivera each had seven points.
                The Cougars will finish off the Air Force Prep Classic on Saturday at 4 p.m. when they face the host school. The Cougars will then return home to host the Lady Cougar Holiday Classic beginning Thursday when they face Colby Community College at 7 p.m.

WNCC (10-0)                      41 50 – 91
Las Vegas Heat                  35 33 – 68
WNCC
Mikayla Brower 7, Laurin Rivera 7, Kelsey Doddridge 9, Gritt Ryder 6, Katie Kerkhoff 2, Simone Evans 2, Shalisa Moffit 11, Ashley Stevens 6, Jessica Aratani 10, Jess Samorodova 31.

WNCC men defeat Gillette College

[Nov. 30, 2012]  SHERIDAN, Wyo. – The Western Nebraska Community College men’s basketball team received 43 points from Charles Ward and Cody Johnson and the Cougars hung on to clip Gillette College 65-61 in the Holiday Classic at Sheridan, Wyo., on Friday.
                WNCC coach Russ Beck said the big reason for the win was their defense, which held the Pronghorns to just 34 percent shooting. Beck also said they took care of and distributed the ball. The Cougars had 17 assists and committed just 12 turnovers.
                The Cougars held a 32-30 halftime lead thanks to 46.4 percent shooting in the first half, including connecting on four 3-pointers. WNCC finished the game shooting 44.6 percent and hit seven 3-pointers. Ward nailed 3 of 5 attempts, while Johnson, the 6-foot-10 post, had two treys.
                Ward finished the contest with 22 points, five assists and five rebounds, while Johnson had 21 points and six rebounds. Willie Mangum was the next leading scorer with five points and five assists.
                WNCC, 4-4, will be back in action Saturday when they take on the host team Sheridan College. Sheridan lost to the Midwest Elite team 88-83 after holding a 50-42 lead. Sheridan and WNCC met in the second game of the season the Generals won 107-104 in overtime.

WNCC (4-4)        32 33 – 65
Gillette                 30 31 – 61
WNCC
Quante Cooley 4, Willie Mangum 5, Charles Ward 22, Cody Johnson 21, Zach Clemens 3, Rich Williams 4, Trey Moore 3, Youssoupha Kane 3.

WNCC go 9-0 with win over Adams State

[Nov. 29, 2012] COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – Gritt Ryder and Jess Samorodova each scored 15 points and the Western Nebraska Community College women’s basketball team remained unbeaten with a 64-38 win over Adams State College junior varsity Thursday at the Air Force Prep tournament in Colorado Springs, Colo.
                WNCC coach Dave Harnish said his team played well defensively, but came out sluggish offensively. He said that might because of the 10-day layoff between games. The Cougar women last played Nov. 20 when they defeated Casper 72-42.
                “The first half we were a little bit sluggish and we actually didn’t pull away. We didn’t score well tonight, but I thought we played defense well,” Harnish said. “The second half we came out real strong and opened up a 30-point lead at 55-20 before we started to play the bench.”
                Harnish said it was tight for the first part of the contest until they opened up the contest with a late first-half run to lead 31-13 at the break. The second half saw the Cougars lead balloon to 30 points.
                “We haven’t played in a week and a half,” he said. “We just didn’t shoot the ball very well. We need to play better tomorrow [Friday]. The Las Vegas Heat has a 6-foot-4 girl that is athletic and most of their players are like 25 years old.”
                The Cougars also received seven points each from Laurin Rivera and Maurissa Ortega, while Shalisa Moffitt collected six points.
                WNCC, 9-0, will get a test Friday when they take on the Las Vegas Heat, which is an all-star team at 6 p.m. Harnish said that the Las Vegas Heat was up on Casper College by 15 points at halftime. WNCC will then wrap up the Air Force Prep on Saturday against the host team at 4 p.m.
               
WNCC (9-0)                        31 33 – 64
Adams State JV                 13 25 – 38
WNCC
Gritt Ryder 15, Kelsey Doddridge 2, Jessica Aratani 2, Jess Samorodova 15, Ashley Stevens 4, Laurin Rivera 7, Shalisa Moffitt 6, Mikayla Brower 4, Jenna Lindquist 2, Maurissa Ortega 7.

Casper drops WNCC men

[Nov. 27, 2012] Casper College’s Remi Dibo connected on seven first-half 3-pointers and the Thunderbirds shot past Western Nebraska Community College 95-74 Tuesday evening at Cougar Palace.
                Dibo finished with 31 points and was aided by Dominique Lee’s 22 points and 12 rebounds as the Thunderbirds improved to 8-2 on the season. The Cougars, who shot just 36 percent from the field and were 19 of 32 from the free throw line, never got in a rhythm as they dropped to 3-4 on the season.
                WNCC coach Russ Beck said they were flat against a Casper team that has won six straight games.
                “Our execution was very poor tonight,” Beck said. “We didn’t get any post reads and we didn’t work inside out. We settled for bad shots. The more we got down the worse our shot selection got and it was a pretty embarrassing loss in that regard. The two things that we can control that we were bad at was team boxing out. They had 18 second chance points and we missed 13 free throws. We did get them miss shots especially in the second half, but they would collect the ball after their miss and put the ball back in.”
                Dibo was the spark for the Thunderbirds in the first half, burying 7 of 9 3-pointers and collecting 26 of his 31 points. Dibo, early on, buried three straight treys to push the Casper lead to 14-8 after the Cougars sliced the lead to 11-8.
                Casper pushed the lead to 20 points, 41-21, as they went on a 11-0 run that was highlighted by nine straight points by Dibo. WNCC changed gears and made a run, slicing the lead to single digits at 51-42 with two minutes to play on a Rich Williams 3-pointer and a Willie Mangum trey.
                Casper stopped the run with a bucket by Demetrius Lee before Cody Johnson closed the half with a 3-pointer. Casper led at halftime 53-45.
                Beck said that late first half comeback was nice, but it wasn’t enough.

We did get the lead cut down to eight at halftime, but then we came out in the second half and started to make some of the mistakes we did in the first half, giving up second chance points and missing free throws,” he said. “We just have to pull together. It is embarrassing to lose to a rival like that on our home floor and I am going to work my tail off to get this team where it needs to be in contention for a Region IX title. We are a long ways from that right now. We just need to focus on this game this weekend against Gillette, see if we can pick up two games on the road and just go from there.”

                Any hope of a Cougar comeback faded just five minutes into the second half as the Thunderbirds went on a 14-4 run to lead 67-50. After that, each team traded buckets as Casper posted the 21-point victory.
                Shooting was the difference in the game. Casper shot 57 percent from the field in the first half and ignited for 9 3-pointers. The Cougars shot 40 percent from the field in the first half, but were 4 of 11 from beyond the arc. In the second half, WNCC’s shots were non-existent, converting on 23 percent and were 3 of 13 from the 3-point line. For the game, the Cougars were 7 of 24 from behind the arc. Cody Johnson paced the team with four 3-pointers.
                Johnson finished with a team-high 16 points, including pulling down six rebounds. Quante Cooley finished with a double-double of 11 points and 11 rebounds, while Mangum had 14 points and Charles Ward had 11.
                Casper’s Dominique Lee had a double-double with 22 points and 12 rebounds. Lew Evans was the only other Thunderbird to finish with double figures, netting 13 points.
                WNCC will next be in action this weekend when they travel to Sheridan, Wyo., to face Gillette and Sheridan College in a Classic. The Cougars next home game will be Friday, Dec. 7 when they host Northwest Kansas Technical College.

Casper (8-2)                       53 42 – 95
WNCC (3-4)                        45 29 – 74
CASPER
Corey Spence 5, Demetrius Lee 1, Nate McGinley 3, Remi Dibo 31, Austin Kofoed 4, Juwan Starks 5, Dominique Lee 22, Richard Smith 4, Mantas Adomaitis 2, Ryan Madsen 3, Lew Evans 13, Trahmier Burrell 2.
WNCC
Tahir Little 5, Zach Clemens 4, Quante Cooley 11, Rich Williams 3, Willie Mangum 14, Isaiah Castellaw 2, Charles Ward 11, Cody Johnson 16, Youssoupha Kane 2, Chad Calcaterra 6.