The Western Nebraska Community College men's basketball team received a double-double from Tyrell Williams and outscored North Platte Community College 53-41 in the second half to earn an 84-77 Region IX South win Friday night at Cougar Palace.

                The win stops a 3-game losing skid for the Cougars in conference play but more importantly it gives the Cougars some momentum heading into Saturday's conference game with McCook Community College which begins at 3 p.m.

                McCook enters with an 11-1 record after dropping Eastern Wyoming College in double overtime 136-126 Friday.

                Michael Connor, who had a big 18 points in the win, said the team played well and credits coaches Russ Beck and Louis Truscott for getting the team ready.

                "Coach Beck and Coach Trruscott did a great job of preparing a game plan for us for us to come out and get the win," he said. "They stressed all week in practice for us to play hard to come out and get the win. We came out and executed the game plan."

                Second half defense and clutch free throw shooting was the key. WNCC out-rebounded the Knights 41-32 including grabbing 27 boards on the defensive glass. The Cougars also converted 5 of 8 free throws down the stretch for the win.

                Connor said they played hard in the second half, after being down 36-31 at intermission.

                "We played up tempo and we played harder and with more passion in the second half," Connor said. "We just had to set down and play better defense. We just played harder and made them turn over the ball and got rebounds."

                The first five minutes of the second half was the turning point as WNCC scored nine straight points to take a 40-38 lead on a Williams offensive putback. From there it was back and forth as the two squads were tied at 48-48 before North Platte took a 55-50 lead on four free throws with 15 to play.

                North Platte stretched the lead to 62-55 and later led 66-62 before the Cougars turned things around with a 11-0 run that saw 3-pointers by Andrew Ramirez and RJ Palmer for a 73-66 lead.

                WNCC continued playing strong as they built an 80-72 lead only to watch North Platte come back to cut into the Cougar's lead to 80-77 on a Stefan Illic trey. After two missed free throws, WNCC got the rebound and Ramirez made two free throws and WNCC went on to win 84-77.

                WNCC was led in scoring by Ramirez with 24 points, including three 3-pointers and 9 of 11 shooting from charity stripe.

                Also hitting for double figures was Connor with 18 points, Williams with 12 points along with 12 rebounds, and Fayne with 11 points.

                North Platte was led in scoring by Leito Halloway with 16 points.

NPCC                     36 41 – 77

WNCC                   31 53 – 84

NORTH PLATTE

Tim Wagner 8, Myles Laurens-Smart 2, Leito Holloway 16, David Ramon 13, Diontee Champion 14, Victor Lewis 2, Tyree Peter 2, Jordan Mills 4, Michael Mitchell 2, Mike Amitis 10.

WNCC
Daylon Harris 3, Mason Smith 5, RJ Palmer 5, Michael Sparks 3, Michael Connor 18, Derrick Bowers 3, Phil Fayne 11, Andrew Ramirez 24, Tyrell Williams 12.