LAJUNTA, Colo. – The Western Nebraska Community College men's basketball team picked up their fourth straight victory and stayed in the hunt to win the South Sub-region with an impressive 89-82 win over Otero College Friday in LaJunta, Colorado.

                WNCC moves to 15-8 overall and more importantly to 5-1 in sub-region play. Trinidad State is a half game in front of the Cougars at 6-1 in conference play. WNCC will look for their fifth straight victory when they travel to Northeastern Junior College Tuesday in Sterling, Colorado. NJC is 3-2 in conference play.

                Friday's win saw WNCC lead for almost 99 percent of the contest. WNCC led 44-41 at halftime.

                In the second half, the Cougars built a 62-55 lead on a Maurice Walker 3-pointer. Shortly afterwards, the Cougars went up by 10, 69-59 with 6:30 to play on a JJ Harris triple. Kayden Nation popped a trey moments later for a 75-62 lead with 4:10 to play.

                Otero cut the deficit to 79-73 with 53 seconds to play. WNCC led 83-77 with 30 seconds left in the game and then Harris hit four free throws and Anthony Simo hit two charity tosses with seconds remaining for the 89-82 win.

                WNCC shot 47 percent from the field and buried nine 3-pointers. Harris had 23 points to lead the team with four 3-pointers in the win with 11 rebounds and five assists. Harris was 9-of-10 from the free-throw line. Simo followed with 17 points and going 9-of-10 from the free-throw line.  

                Walker tallied 13 points with three triples while Nation had 12 points and two 3-pointers.

WNCC                 44 45 – 89
Otero                    41 41 – 82
WNCC
JJ Harris 23, Maurice Walker 13, Anthony Simo 17, Willie Wilson 2, Travis Easterly, Jr. 11, Stephen Ovia 7, Daniel Bula 4, Kayden Nation 12.
OTERO
Isaiah Poindexter 7, Rhoman Eyere 2, Elijah McNeil 8, Lason Walker 16, Ty Burbank 3, Felipe Carter 6, Tay Mosher 23, Jamir Todd 4, Keylane Lasisi 6, Anthony Harris, Jr. 7.