RAWLINS, Wyo. – After a close first quarter, the 14th-ranked Western Nebraska Community College women's basketball team outscored Northwest College 32-3 in the second quarter to cruise to an 107-54 win over the Trappers in the first day of the Central Wyoming Classic Friday afternoon.
WNCC head coach Chad Gibney said the team played really well in the second quarter.
"We went on a big run there in the second quarter," Gibney said. "We had a slow start but we bounced back. I certainly thought we did a good job of pressuring the ball on our press and then we did a good job on the glass tonight."
The Cougars had balanced scoring in the win with four in double figures and several with near double-figure scoring. Gibney was impressed with the balanced scoring that the team had.
"We had really balanced scoring tonight," he said. "We had a lot of people step up and do good things."
Shayane Poirot finished with 19 points, including five 3-pointers in the win. Poirot also had five assists and four steals in the win. Ale'Jah Douglas, who signed with Clemson on Wednesday, finished with 17 points.
Martrice Brooks added 14 points while Shanti Henry tallied 12 points. Brooks also had five steals.
Scottsbluff's Yara Garcia and Rashaan Smith each tallied eight points in the win while Payton Fields and Ashley Panem had six points.
WNCC and Northwest battled in the first quarte with the Cougars holding a slim 19-14 lead. It was from the second quarter on that the Cougars put distance between them and the Trappers. WNCC outscored Northwest 32-3 in the second quarter to hold a 51-17 lead at halftime.
The Cougars pushed the lead to 79-31 after three quarters and then both teams combined for 51 points in the fourth period with WNCC outscoring Northwest 28-23 for the win.
WNCC tossed in nine treys while shooting 35 percent from beyond the arc. Northwest was just 2 of 14 from the 3-point line. Poirot had five treys while Fields had two, and Henry and Amani Brown each with one.
The Cougars also was stellar from the free throw line, hitting for 85 percent (26-of-33). Northwest was 16 or 34.
WNCC also controlled the boards, out rebounding the Trappers 46-27. Isabelle Cook pulled down seven boards to lead the Cougars while Henry and Panem each had six.
WNCC will look for win number three on Saturday when they face the host team Central Wyoming College in the afternoon.
"I know they have a couple really athletic guards, and they are a much improved team," Gibney said. "it should be a good challenge for us."
WNCC 19 32 28 28 – 107
Northwest 14 3 14 23 – 54
WNCC
Isabelle Cook 4, Ale'Jah Douglas 17, Amani Brown 8, Shanti Henry 12, Payton Fields 6, Yara Garcia 8, Martrice Brooks 14, Ashley Panem 6, Shayane Poirot 19, Genet Mebratu 3, Mia Jaye Sarkodee-Adoo 2, Rashaan Smith 8.
NORTHWEST
Brenna Rouane 4, Darla Hernandez 16, Annie Mitzel 2, Nayeli Acosta 5, Madison Fields 3, Celina Tress 12, Jaycie Casebolt 5, Shante Falslev 6, Tatiana Coleman 1.