The Western Nebraska Community College men's basketball team put four in double figures and connected on 82 percent from the charity stripe in earning a 97-90 South Division win over Northeastern Junior College Tuesday evening at Cougar Palace.
The win was the Cougars 16th of the season and moves WNCC to 6-8 in South play. NJC drops to 6-7 in the South and winless on the road this season.
Michael Sparks, who finished the game with 17 points, including going 7 of 7 from the free throw line, said this was a big win for the team as they came together as a unit when they needed to.
"We struggled in the first half but we came out in the second half after a long talk and came out and played well," the freshman from Denver said. "We played good team basketball."
The Cougars enjoyed a 24-11 lead in the first half only to have to settle for a 44-44 tie at intermission. The second half, with the Cougars clinging to a 70-69 lead and a timeout on the floor; that was when the game changed. Sparks said it wasn't anything said in the timeout; it was the fact they realized they had to come together.
"It was nothing coach told us; we just came together as a team," he said. "We said we have to pull this one out. They beat us by one last time and we have to win this time. We came together and just became brothers."
And, they came together, going on a 7-0 run to push the lead to 77-69, including a monster dunk and free throw by Tyrell Williams. NJC did come back and sliced the lead to 79-78, but WNCC stayed composed and built the lead back to 88-81 on a Phil Fayne one-handed dunk with two minutes to play.
From there, WNCC hit free throws, connecting on seven straight free throws all from the hands of Sparks.
Sparks said everyone contributed scoring but more importantly, it was the number of dunks that the Cougars had, roughly seven in the game, that helped kept the Cougars fired up.
"Honestly, the games that we lost this year, we made just two dunks. The games that we won this year, we had over four dunks," he said. "That generates a lot of energy for our team."
It was also a big inside game for the Cougars as well. WNCC won the rebounding battle 39-27, recording 30 defensive boards. Fayne led the team with 11 boards while Williams had nine boards.
"Tyrell and Phil played wonderful tonight," Sparks said.
Both teams, in fact, shot well and played well. It was an offensive track meet with the fast-paced play. WNCC shot 57 percent from the field and converted eight 3-pointers, led by Chase Mason's four treys followed by two each from Sparks and Bo McVay.
NJC shot 49 percent from the field and connected on 10 treys. Jalonni McCovery rattled home four treys to lead the Plainsmen.
Both teams also put on a clinic from the charity stripe. WNCC connected on 82 percent, converting 23 of 28. NJC was 84 percent from the line, making 16 of 19.
WNCC also shared the ball well, issuing 21 assists. Michael Connor, who only had five points, finished with a team leading five assists.
WNCC had four players in double figures. Chase Mason finished with 20 points to lead the team followed by 17 each from Sparks and Williams. Fayne collected a double-double with 13 points and 11 rebounds.
NJC had five in double figures, led by Marcus Cooper with 21, including going 9 of 11 from the free throw line.
WNCC will be back in action Friday when they face Lamar Community College in another South Division contest.
Sparks said they need to play the same way they did against NJC, as a group, to get the win.
"We have to stay together and become brothers still," Sparks said. "We lost to Lamar, too, and we just have to come together as a group. It is nothing we have to do in practice, we just have to come together as a group and we will come out with a win."
NJC 44 46 – 90
WNCC 44 53 – 97
NJC
Naradian James 10, JJ Griffin 9, Jalonni McCovery 12, Robert Jones 15, Axel Mpoyo 4, Marcus Cooper 21, Garrett Bagett 7, Brady Baer 12.
WNCC
Daylon Harris 9, RJ Palmer 6, Michael Sparks 17, Michael Connor 5, Bo McVay 6, Chase Mason 20, Phil Fayne 13, Tyrell Williams 17.