NORTH PLATTE – The Western Nebraska Community College men's basketball team put four players in double figures, but it wasn't enough as North Platte Community College earned the 89-66 South sub-region win over the Cougars Saturday in North Platte.

                WNCC led 13-12 early in the first quarter but saw that lead evaporate and the Knights went on to lead 45-33 at halftime.

                The second half saw North Platte race to a 54-35 lead but the Cougars came storming back with a 7-0 run behind five points from Biko Johnson to cut the deficit to 54-42. WNCC got even close with another 9-0 run to cut into the North Platte at 58-51.

                WNCC trailed the Knights by 10 points with seven minutes to play, but North Platte closed out the rest of the game to get the 23-point win.

                WNCC shot 37 percent from the field in the contest and were just 21 percent from beyond the arc (6-of-28). North Platte shot 54 percent from the field and were 50 percent from behind the arc (5-of-10).

                The key stat of the game came at the free throw line. WNCC was whistled for 28 fouls compared to 15 for North Platte. The Knights made 24-of-34 charity stripe shots while WNCC was just 8-of-16 from the free throw line.

                North Platte won the rebound battle 43-39. Carl Thorpe finished with 10 boards while Them Koang had six.

                Thorpe had a double-double in the game as he also scored 10 points to go with his 10 rebounds.

                Biko Johnson led the Cougars with 15 points while Koang finished with 14. Jasiya DeOllos also was in double figures with 10 points.

                WNCC will be off until next weekend when they travel to face Trinidad State College on Saturday and then Otero College on Sunday.

WNCC                   33 33 – 66

North Platte       45 44 – 89

WNCC

Carter Brown 2, Rodney Sawyer 4, Jasiya DeOllos 10, Biko Johnson 15, Carl Thorpe 10, Agwa Nywesh 4, Chancelor Johnson 3, Turumbil Zaki 4, Them Koang 14.