The Western Nebraska Community College men's basketball team picked up their fifth win of the season, outscoring Frank Phillips College 56-45 in the second half to earn a 97-88 win Friday evening in the Cougar Thanksgiving Classic at Cougar Palace.

                The Thanksgiving Classic continues Saturday with two games. Trinidad State takes on Frank Phillips at 2 p.m. followed by WNCC facing the Nebraska all-stars at 4 p.m. Trinidad State was an 88-58 winner over the Nebraska All-stars in the early game on Friday.

                WNCC's win was a tale of two halves. The first half, the Cougars shot 45 percent compared to 65 percent for Frank Phillips. The second half was reversed. WNCC blitzed the nets for 72 percent shooting while holding the Plainsmen to 47 percent.

                More importantly, the Cougars had varied scoring with just four players in double figures. Djodje Dimitrejevic and Jervay Green combined for 46 points, including seven treys. Dimitrejevic had 25 points and five threes, while Green finished with 21 points and two treys.

                Also hitting for double figures was Marlon Sierra with 17 points and Vinnie Shahid with 15.

                The Cougars nailed 14 3-pointers as a team and was a perfect 11-of-11 from the free throw line. Frank Phillips also burned the net from long distance, nailing eight treys.

                Green said it was a nice win, but they need to not come out slow and have to battle back from first-half deficits.

                "We played really good. We started off a little nonchalant in the first, but we brought it back together," Green said. "It all starts in warm-up."

                What brought the team back was the defensive intensity and Green said defense fuels the offense.

                "Our coaches are real big on offense," he said. "We love defense, too, because that makes our offense but we also like to slow it down and run some plays and let the other team work on defense a little."

                The Cougars played defense in the second half but they also kept their high-octane offense going.

                "Defense for sure was the key in the second half," Green said. "They [Frank Phillips] were really scoring on us in the first half. When we slowed them down on the defensive end, it helped us out a lot.

                Green said Frank Phillips is a great team and they had to work to get the win. Frank Phillips led 25-13 at one point before WNCC took its first lead of the opening 20 minutes since the opening bucket on a Sierra bucket with 2:37 to play. The Cougars couldn't keep the lead as Knowledge Darby slammed home a dunk to end the first half to give Frank Phillips a 43-41 halftime lead.

                Frank Phillips led 49-45 in the second half before the Cougars went on an 11-0 run that was spearheaded by a treys from Dimitrejevic and Martin Roub for a 56-49 lead. WNCC pushed the lead to seven points a couple times at 77-70, but Frank Phillips came back to cut the lead to 80-78.

                WNCC went up eight points, its biggest lead of the night at 86-78 on a Sierra bucket and went on for their fifth win of the season.

                The Cougars will look for win number six Saturday and Green said they have to come out fast.

                "We have to come out fast and play defense," Green said. "We have to get a win and then if we practice on Sunday, get back in the gym and go hard for Monday's game."

                In the first game of the Thanksgiving Classic, Trinidad State shot 50 percent from the field in picking up an 88-58 win over the Nebraska All-stars. Trinidad held a 52-22 lead at halftime.

                The Trojans were led by Cole Lawrence with 15 points followed by 14 from Ian Kelly. The Nebraska All-stars were led by Brennan Miller with 19 points followed by 14 from Bo McVay.

First Game

Nebraska All-stars            22 36 – 58

Trinidad State                    52 36 – 88

NEBRASKA ALL-STARS

Bo McVay 14, Brennen Miller 19, Dillion Pakele 4, Brett Birch 5, Zac Bibb 2, Ryan Guzman 3, Jamie Gonzales 7, Juan Morales 4.

TRINIDAD

Jon Alexander 13, Tykeem Anderson 10, Chalres Henderson 2, Beau Santisteven 8, Trevell Cunningham 6, Rene Melendez 3, Cole Lawrence 15, Jesus Martinez 9, Issac Essein 7, Ian Kelly 14.

Second Game

Frank Phillips                      43 45 – 88

WNCC (5-2)                         41 56 – 97

FRANK PHILLIPS

Jaquez Lyons 18, Marquise Kindel 6, Kent Thomas 15, Justin Milstead 13, Knowledge Darby 18, Jeremy Betjol 6, Joe Nobles 3, Kwame McBean 7.

WNCC

Trent Harris 3, Bryce Sanchiouis 2, Vinnie Shahid 15, Marlon Sierra 17, Marko Rajanovic 6, Jervay Green 21, Djodje Dimitrijevic 25, Martin Roub 8.