Knights fall in shooting battle to Lancers

Sterling, Colo. – Maurice Reide led the Knights with 30 points, but a late run carried Eastern Wyoming College to a 108-97 win on Saturday.

Reide tallied 25 of his 30 points in the second half that helped North Platte erase a double-digit halftime deficit. Trey Summers added 24 points, while Sedrick Nari (17) and Alex Harper (10) each finished the game in double digits.

Knights won the previous two matchups this season against the Lancers, including a 76-63 win at home on Dec. 6.

Eastern Wyoming wasted no time and connected on eight from long range to build a 34-11 lead in the opening 6:09 of the first half. North Platte tightened their defense while narrowing the margin to 39-27 on a Jaxson Brandl old fashioned three-point play.

Lancers maintained the momentum and stretched their lead to 60-36 in the final minute, but a pair of free throws from Brandl and Harper cut the margin to 20 at the halftime break.

Facing a double-digit halftime deficit the Knights leaned on strong defense to come all the way back in the opening 13:24 of the second half. A three from Summers gave the Knights the one-point edge, but the lead would change hands three more times in the next two minutes.

Lancers answered a Nari layup with an 11-1 run to build a double-digit lead inside two minutes to play. North Platte cut the margin inside ten three times down the stretch, but the Lancers went 9-of-10 from the free throw line in the final minute to ice the game.

Knights (8-6) will return to the hardwood on Monday, Jan. 13 to take on the Broncos of Hastings College JV. Tip is set for 7 p.m. inside the McDonald-Belton Gymnasium.