The Western Nebraska Community College men's basketball team led from start to finish in picking up an 83-63 Region IX South sub-region win over Laramie County Community College Saturday afternoon at Cougar Palace.
In picking up their 14th victory of the season, WNCC put three players in double figures and shot 53 percent from the field.
Djodje Dimitrijevic said the team played pretty well, especially in the first half in holding the Golden Eagles to just 20 points.
"Most of the time we were playing well," Dimitrijevic, who led the Cougars with 23 points, said. "Our defense was working pretty well in the first half. In the second half we started a little slow and they had an 8-0 run. After that we picked up our defense and got back in the game."
WNCC played exceptionally well in the opening 20 minutes. Holding a slim 3-2 lead, the Cougars went on a 10-2 run to lead 13-4. LCCC cut the lead to seven points in the opening half on a couple occasions, but the Cougars quickly took control, pushing the lead to double digits on two Vinnie Shahid 3-point buckets at 23-13 and later at 28-15.
During that run, the Cougars were putting on a shooting clinic. Trent Harris hit for two points on a nice little turnaround jumper and moments later Dimitrijevic went from baseline to baseline for a bucket. The Cougars went on to lead 37-20 at the half.
LCCC started the second quarter on an 8-0 run to cut the lead to 37-28 and had the lead to within seven, 39-32 on back-to-back buckets by Alfonzo Anderson. It was after that the Cougars started to light up as Michael Connor nailed a big trey.
The Cougars also answered the Golden Eagles bucket for bucket, slowly pushing the lead to 63-48 on four straight points from Harris. WNCC led by 20 points on a Dimitrijevic 3-point and a Connor bucket and never looked back after that.
WNCC out-rebounded LCCC 38-26. Jeremy Ruffin pulled down 11 boards followed by four from Jalan Brown.
The Cougars also shot well from the field, hitting on 55 percent for the game while holding LCCC to 35 percent shooting the first half.
LCCC buried just three 3-pointers while WNCC connected on eight long-range shots. Dimitrijevic connected on three treys while Shahid had two.
WNCC had three players in double figures. After Dimitrijevic's 23 points, Shahid had 18 and RJ Palmer had 10. Harris tallied nine points followed by eight from Ruffin.
WNCC, 14-8, will be looking for win number 15 when they host Ft. Carson Army Base on Sunday at 4 p.m. Ft. Carson fell to Eastern Wyoming College on Saturday 105-100.
"We have to play like this every game so if we want to go on in regionals or onto the national tournament," Dimitrijevic said.
LCCC (13-9) 20 43 – 63
WNCC (14-8) 37 46 – 83
LCCC
Da'Zhon Wyche 8, Alfonzo Anderson 13, Ola Ayodele 17, Charles Yassi-Pepin 5, Harrison Meads 4, Landon Talisferro 2, Dominik Heinzl 14.
WNCC
Trent Harris 9, RJ Palmer 10, Vinnie Shahid 18, Diamon Onwuku 3, Michael Connor, Jr. 6, Lalan Brown 4, Marlon Sierra 2, Djodje Dimitrijevic 23, Jeremy Ruffin 8.