2024-25 WNCC Cougar Men's Basketball News

  • Fast start lifts WNCC men over LCCC 94-72
    November 13, 2024
    The Western Nebraska Community College men’s basketball team had a fast start behind the dunking of Kendrick Preston and the hot 3-point shooting to power the team over Laramie County Community College 94-72 Wednesday evening at Cougar Palace. The win was a marked contrast to their game on Tuesday against Eastern Wyoming College where the team didn’t score 30 points. Wednesday, the Cougars shot 56 percent from the field and buried 15 3-pointers. “We played a lot better than what we have been,” WNCC head coach Roybell Baez said. “We shot really well hitting 15 threes and it felt like everything we through up tonight went in and that is the game. There is not much to it.”
  • WNCC men fall in overtime heartbreaker to EWC
    November 12, 2024
    TORRINGTON, Wyo. – The Western Nebraska Community College men's basketball team let a win slip through their fingertips as the Eastern Wyoming College Lancers hit late free throws to register the 83-80 overtime win Tuesday in Torrington, Wyoming. The Cougars will have little time to look back on the defeat as WNCC hosts Laramie County Community College Wednesday evening at 6:30 p.m. WNCC will need to learn quick from the mistakes in the EWC as they get ready for some big contests in the next couple of weeks.
  • WNCC men top EWC in home opener
    November 06, 2024
    The Western Nebraska Community College men’s basketball team received a combined 41 points from Kellon Harris and Elijah Hollins as the Cougars won their home opener on Wednesday 71-64 over Eastern Wyoming College. WNCC head coach Roybell Baez said it was a tale of two halves, but his team found a way to win in the second half. WNCC led 35-22 at halftime and were outscored 42-36 in the second half. “We played like a team that has a bunch of freshmen and a freshman coach, I can tell you that much,” Baez said. “We came out in the first half and we were hot. We played pretty good defense in the first half and then in the second half, they came out desperate, down by 13 at half. They hit shots, were aggressive and going to the rim and we were settling for bad shots. When I called that last time out, I told the fellas we have to take better shots and take care of the ball.”
  • WNCC men’s basketball set for home opener Wednesday
    November 05, 2024
    It will be a Highway 26 battle when the Western Nebraska Community College men’s basketball hosts Eastern Wyoming College in the Cougars’ home-opener on Wednesday. Action at Cougar Palace will begin at 6 p.m. and it will be the home debut of former Cougar assistant and now head coach Roybell Baez on Wednesday. Baez and his team are excited to be showing the Scottsbluff/Gering community the talent on the team.
  • WNCC men’s basketball falls twice in Utah
    November 01, 2024
    EPHRAIM, Utah – The Western Nebraska Community College men’s basketball team had a tale of two days in their season-opening classic over the weekend in Ephraim, Utah, at the Snow Classic. On Friday, the Cougars gave No. 7 Salt Lake Community College all they had and then some in falling to the Bruins 109-104 in double overtime. On Saturday, the host team Snow College earned a 112-67 win. WNCC will be back in action Wednesday when they host Eastern Wyoming College in a 6 p.m. start.
  • WNCC men's basketball begin official practices this week
    October 03, 2024
    The Roybell Baez era of Western Nebraska Community College men’s basketball is off and running as the Cougar men opened official practices on Tuesday. Baez, who takes over the men’s basketball head coaching position after being an assistant coach for the Cougars when they won the Region IX tournament in 2018, is excited for this season with a team that he believes has plenty of talent. “Returning to WNCC has been a dream come true,” Baez said. “The community and faculty have been so good to me, and I couldn’t off asked for a better start to my head coaching career.”