The Western Nebraska Community College women's basketball team received 15 points from Gal-La Font and 14 from Mackenzie Joseph in picking up their 22nd win of the season with a 68-63 win over North Platte Community College Tuesday night at Cougar Palace.
The win moves the Cougars to 22-6 on the season with just two regular-season games left. WNCC will host Lamar Community College on Tuesday in sophomore recognition night before wrapping up the regular season with a road game at Trinidad State College on March 2.
Laura Montiel, who had four steals to give her 100 on the season and only one of 11 Cougars to record 100 steals, said the team needed the win to get back on track of winning.
"We pushed through the intensity of the game and got the win," the freshman from Spain said. "It's nice to get back on track after getting a few losses this semester."
The big key in the contest was staying together and the Cougars had balanced scoring with three in double figures. Font led the team with 15 points along with six rebounds followed by Joseph with 14 points and seven rebounds. Ebere Egbirika finished with 10 points.
Montiel said the reason for the win was "playing together, playing good defense, and staying solid until the end of the game."
The first quarter was close as North Platte had a 15-13 lead late on a Emily Johnson bucket. Helena Kuck finished the scoring in the first 10 minutes with a 3-pointer for the 16-15 lead.
WNCC started the second quarter by leading 22-17, and later 27-24 on a Adelina Urtane triple. North Platte came back to grab a 28-26 lead. The Cougars closed out the half on a 7-1 run, including a triple from Amiyah Donaldson for a 34-29 lead at intermission.
WNCC came out of the locker room in the second half by outscoring the Knights 21-14 and led 44-35 on a Font bucket. WNCC continued playing well in the third quarter as they had a 9-0 run that saw Montiel record her fourth steal of the game for a 53-37 lead. WNCC led 55-43 after three.
The fourth quarter was a reversal as North Platte outscored WNCC 20-13. WNCC made the opening bucket on an Egbirika field goal. After that, North Platte outscored WNCC 13-2 to slice a 14-point deficit down to just three points when Mariah Gardner buried a 3-pointer. With about five minutes to play.
WNCC answered with a bucket by Joseph and then a 3-pointer by Font with 3:26 to play for a 64-56 lead. North Platte continued playing tough as they held WNCC scoreless for nearly three minutes as they made it a one-point game at 64-63 on a bucket by Kateria Gooden with 30 seconds to play. WNCC got two free throws each from Donaldson and Joseph to seal the win at 68-63.
WNCC shot 38 percent for the game while burying seven 3-pointers. WNCC was 13-of-17 from the free throw line. North Platte shot 49 percent from the field and buried five 3-pointers. The Knights were just 2-of-4 from the charity stripe.
North Platte 15 14 14 20 – 63
WNCC 16 18 21 13 – 68
NORTH PLATTE
Nariah Golden 7, Nevaeh Golden 6, Kateria Gooden 4, Dazjanae Greene 13, Jada Thompson 1, Reece Halley 10, Jada Grigsby 8, Mariah Gardner 4, Emily Johnson 4, Samantha Riggles 6.
WNCC
Amiyah Donaldson 7, Ebere Egbirika 10, Helena Kuck 7, Gal-La Font 15, Laura Montiel 8, Mackenzie Joseph 14, Adelina Urtane 7.