MCCOOK -- The Western Nebraska Community College men's basketball team received 30 points from Biko Johnson with five 3-pointers as the Cougars opened South Sub-region play with a thrilling 75-71 win over McCook Friday evening.

                 This game was one of comebacks for both teams and it was WNCC's 11-3 run over the final 2:25 that proved the difference.

                WNCC seemed to be in control in the first half as they built a 29-16 lead and led 34-20 on a Johnson 3-pointer. WNCC led by 11 at halftime 38-27.

                The second half saw WNCC push the lead to 15 points at 44-29 on a Zach O'Callaghan bucket and led 55-44 on a Stephen Ovia field goal after Johnson hit three free throws after being fouled on a 3-point attempt.

                That was when McCook started to play as they Indians went on an 8-0 to cut the deficit to 55-52. WNCC came back to go up 62-54 on a Johnson bucket.

                WNCC then stalled out offensively as the Indians made a charge going on a 16-2 run. McCook took their first lead  of the game at 66-64 and then led 70-64.

                The Cougars regrouped behind a 3-pointer by Johnson to cut into the deficit and then tied the game at 70-70 with 55.5 seconds to play on a Johnson old-fashioned 3-point play. McCook went back in front 71-70 hitting just one of two free throws with 44.8 seconds. WNCC played strong defense and Johnson hit a 3-pointer with 17 seconds to play for a 73-71 lead.

                O'Callaghan then drew a big offensive charge with 5.1 seconds to play and the Indians fouled CJ Johnson with 3.9 seconds to play. CJ hit both shots and then the Cougars snuck out of McCook with their first sub-region win of the year.

                WNCC shot better than McCook from the field, making 52.8 percent of their shots. WNCC was also 50 percent from the 3-point arc with six made treys. McCook shot 39 percent from the field and were 30 percent from beyond the arc (8-of-27).

                Both teams grabbed 34 rebounds. Carl Thorpe led WNCC with 10 boards while Biko Johnson had eight.

                WNCC had just one player in double figures as Johnson had 30 points on 10-of-13 shooting from the field. Thorpe and O'Callaghan each had nine points while Ovia had eight points.

                WNCC will be off until next weekend when they hit the road for two more sub-region contests against Otero College on Friday and Trinidad State College on Saturday.

WNCC (10-7)      38 37 – 75
McCook               27 44 – 71

WNCC
Dimitrije Nikolic 4, Carl Thorpe 9, Daniel Bula 6, Zach O'Callaghan 9, CJ Johnson 4, Biko Johnson 30, Stephen Ovia 8, Maurice Walker 5.
MCCOOK

Simon Akena 19, William Humer 6, Noah Boyed 15, Medit Lueeth 11, Zeki Cavli 8, Martel Evans 3, Jah-Keish Demby 3, Lamine Nidone 6.