Scottsbluff's Yara Garcia finished with 22 points including four 3-pointers as the Western Nebraska Community College women's basketball team earned a 73-54 win over McCook Community College in a South Sub-region contest Saturday afternoon at Cougar Palace.
The win was the Cougars 20th win of the season to eight losses but more importantly, WNCC locked up the South Sub-region will host the Region IX tournament May 9-11.
Garcia said they have been putting in a lot of work and to get 20 wins and the chance to host regionals is a testament to their hard work.
"It (hosting regionals) is sweet. Being here for the last three years, we didn't get to host my freshman year. So, being able to do that is a testament of all the hard work that you put in our program," Garcia said. "As for 20 wins in the season, I think it is intensity in practice and holding each other accountable and understanding. The potential that we do have is translating to our performance."
WNCC controlled the contest as they only trailed once, 2-0, and were tied just twice, 6-6 and 10-10. Garcia said they played well on both ends of the court.
"We did really good. We trusted each other offensively and defensively," Garcia said. "Defense is what is going to win our games. We have been applying what we have been doing in practice into our games."
Besides the defensive effort that the Cougars put up, the offense was also hot with different players in the scoring column as Garcia had 22 points followed by 18 by Jayla Owen and then several players from eight to five points.
Garcia said that offensive showing where a different person steps each game is amazing.
"It is real important (to have a variety of scorers) because we have a lot of trust with each other and having confidence not only with ourselves, but in our teammates that they are going to step up and hit big shots," she said.
After trailing 2-0, WNCC got back-to-back 3-pointers from Mackenzie Joseph and Bre Fowler. After McCook tied the game twice and cut the Cougar lead to 14-12, Joseph hit another 3-pointer and Owen had a bucket to end the quarter for a 19-12 lead.
The second quarter saw McCook get to within 21-20 but The Cougars pushed the lead to 27-22 on a Rashaan Smith bucket. WNCC pushed the lead to 33-24 on back-to-back 3-pointers by Garcia and 36-25 at the half on another Garcia trey.
The third quarter was back and forth as WNCC led 42-26 on back-to-back buckets by Garcia and went on to lead 52-39 at the break as Fowler nailed another trey.
WNCC outscored McCook 21-15 in the fourth period.
WNCC shot 41 percent from the field and were 10-of-22 from behind the arc. McCook shot 40 percent and were just 4-of-11 from the 3-point arc.
WNCC won the rebounding battle 41-21 has Joseph pulled down nine rebound.
The WNCC women will have a week off before they wrap up the regular season with a conference home contest against Northeastern Junior College on Saturday. The women's game begins at 2 p.m. with the men's game to follow.
McCook 12 13 14 15 – 54
WNCC (20-8) 19 17 16 21 – 73
MCCOOK
Tatyana Walrond 1, Jalexa Williams 2, Vanessa Jurewicz 19, Noa Iglesias Chorda 3, Natalie Harmata 3, Valentina Monzo 7, Taryn Lindsey 12, Rebecca Dunn 3, Gemma Gruettner Bacoul 2, Itziar Aransay Badia 2.
WNCC
Mackenzie Joseph 8, Bre Fowler 6, Ola Duda 2, Jayla Owen 18, Rashaan Smith 7, Faith Walker 5, Yara Garcia 22, Shiho Isono 5.