Knights earn upset win over Western Nebraska

North Platte, Neb. – German Plotnikov tallied 27 points to lead five North Platte players in double-figures, as the Knights earned the upset win against the Cougars of Western Nebraska Community College on Saturday night, 89-66.

Plotnikov's 27 points on 8-of-18 shooting, included three 3-pointers and six rebounds. Nico Felici chipped in 18 points, seven assists, and four steals, while Jevarrick Butler compiled 14 points and four rebounds in twenty-seven minutes of action.

Knights and Cougars battled from the tip, as the margin stayed under three until the 13:24 mark of the first half. North Platte found their offensive spark with a 20-3 run over the next four minutes, as they captured the momentum. During that span, the Knights had back-to-back highlight style dunks from Trevon Dennis and Plotnikov, as North Platte built a sixteen-point advantage.

The Cougars answered down the stretch and cut the margin to six with 2:52 to play. Western Nebraska outscored North Platte 17-7 during the seven-minute stretch, as their defensive pressure forced the Knights into tough looks at the basket. Timur Krupalija went to work inside as his contested lay-in helped the Knights extend their lead back to twelve by the halftime break, 45-33.

Western Nebraska narrowed the deficit to eight twice over the opening nine minutes of the second half, but the Knights locked down defensively to keep the Cougars from mounting the momentum needed to complete the comeback. After cutting the deficit to eight, Nolan Sughroue led the fast break and connected on a fadeaway jumper to push the North Platte lead back to ten.

The margin stayed under fourteen for the next seven minutes until the Knights extended their lead out to seventeen, after Plotnikov completed the old fashioned three-point play. North Platte continued to hold their lead over the final minutes as they closed out the game by going 7-of-8 from the free throw line.

Knights (8-9) will hit the road for a rescheduled game against the Plainsmen of Northeastern Junior College on Sunday, Feb. 6. Tip is set for 3 p.m. inside the Bank of Colorado Event Center in Sterling.