NORTH PLATTE – It was a battle down to the final seconds. In the end, The North Plate Community College men's basketball team held on to capture a 69-67 Region IX South contest over Western Nebraska Community College Friday night.

                The win was North Platte's first South sub-region win, while the Cougars snapped a five-game winning streak and fell to 9-6 on the season.

                North Platte controlled the early part of the game, jumping out to a 14-2 lead.  Samuel Kearns hit a pair of three-pointers and a field goal for eight of the 14 points. The Knights maintained their lead over the Cougars throughout the first half.  The Cougars did cut the Knights lead to one at 20-19 on a free throw by Vinnie Shahid, but North Platte closed out the first half on a 19-7 run to lead at halftime 39-26.

                In the second half, North Platte held a 49-32 lead at one time only to watch the Cougars come storming back to grab a 67-65 lead with a minute to play on a 3-pointer by Trent Harris.

                North Platte's Victor Lewis regained the lead for the Knights at 68-67 on an old-fashioned 3-point play.  WNCC came back down and had a shot go in by Marlon Sierra, but Sierra was whistled for an offensive charge to preserve the win.

                North Platte was led in scoring by Diontae Champion, who led all scorers with 25 points.  Kearns added 13 points and Mike Amius finished with 10 points. 

                WNCC had three players finish in double figures. Shahid led the Cougars with 21 points, while Michael Connor, Jr., finished with 14 and Jeremy Ruffin had 12.

                WNCC out-rebounded the Knights 32-31 as Ruffin and Shahid each had six boards for the Cougars.

                The Cougars also outshot North Platte. WNCC was 47 percent from the field and buried seven treys, while North Platte was 44 percent from the field in burying six treys.

                WNCC will look to get back on the winning track when they travel to take on McCook Community College on Saturday. Tip-off is set for 3 p.m.

                WNCC will then return home to host Lamar Community College and Northeastern Junior College next weekend.

WNCC (9-6)                         26 41 – 67

North Platte (9-2)             39 30 – 69

WNCC

Trent Harris 5, RJ Palmer 8, Vinnie Shahid 21, Michael Connor 14, Marlon Sierra 5, Djordje Dimitrijevic 2, Jeremy Ruffin 12.

NORTH PLATTE
Diontae Champion 25, Victor Lewis 9, Nate Duda 4, David Niklasson 3, Sameul Kearns 13, Godfrey Rolle 4, Mike Amius 10, Buom Dubuol.