Knights open final weekend with Region IX win

North Platte, Neb. – North Platte used a 10-0 run late in the first half to aid in an 80-72 win over Otero Junior College on Friday night.

Sedrick Nari led the Knights with a team-high 19 points on 3-of-6 shooting from long range, while Justus Michael added a double-double with 17 points and 10 rebounds. Mo Diao finished off the double-digit scorers with 11 points.

"We were able to handle the pressure and made some big plays when they made that final push," said head coach Jacob Brandl. "Alex Harper hit a big shot and Trey Summers had eight assists and zero turnovers tonight, that is amazing."

A pull-up jumper from Michael opened the scoring, but neither team was able to settle into a rhythm early. An Otero 8-2 run helped the Rattlers take the lead, but a contested runner in transition knotted the game up at 22-22 with 4:56 remaining. North Platte held the Rattlers to just one more field goal while embarking on a 10-0 run to take a 32-24 lead into halftime.

Otero cut the margin to five in the early stages of the second half, before a 14-2 run extended the Knights lead to 48-31. The Rattlers made a run as the clock moved inside the final nine minutes. Jaelyn Robinson completed an old-fashioned three point play that help aid in a 10-0 run to cut the deficit to 60-56.

North Platte would never let the Rattlers take the lead despite a valiant effort in the closing minutes to seal the Region IX win.

"Super proud of us but the weekend is not finished," Brandl said. "We need to play good tomorrow against a really good Trinidad team."

Knights (19-10) will finish the regular season on Saturday with a Region IX matchup with Trinidad State College. Tip is set for 1 p.m. inside the McDonald-Belton Gymnasium.