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MCC teams split with North Platte
Local basketball fans probably won't ever hear McCook Community College men's head coach Brandon Lenhart say his team played a perfect game.
Lenhart, like most coaches, is a tough critic when it comes to his team, and he found faults with the MCC effort Tuesday, Feb. 9. But one thing Coach Lenhart couldn't criticize was the final score, as his Indians upset North Platte C.C. 76-69.
In Tuesday's opening game, the McCook C.C. women dropped a 69-63 decision to North Platte.
Tuesday's Nebraska Community College Athletic Conference battles were played in front of a loud MCC crowd at True Hall gym.
The MCC men were coming off a tough 63-59 loss at home Feb. 6 to Western Nebraska Community College of Scottsbluff. Lenhart preaches tough defense and just plain toughness to his players, and he felt his team lacked that toughness in the WNCC loss last Saturday. But he was relatively pleased with his team's effort Tuesday night.
"I didn't feel that the other night (vs. Western Nebraska) all the way across the board, our defense, rebounding and toughness were there," he said. "I thought tonight, overall, was pretty solid. Probably a seven or eight on a 10 scale. The shots will come and go as long as you're playing defense, rebounding and you're tough, things will work themselves out."
Omaha Burke freshman John Hill's two free throws gave MCC a 70-61 lead with 1:26 to go. North Platte converted a pair of three-point plays to help narrow the tap to 71-67 with 1:06 left. McCook then hit 5 of 6 free throws to help keep North Platte at bay.
Free throw struggle
McCook struggled at the line early in the contest. The Indians finished with a 23-for-37 effort at the charity stripe, just 62.1 percent. MCC hit 10 of 12 free throws in the final two minutes with the game's outcome still undecided. Coach Lenhart was also displeased with his team's field goal shooting. The Indians made just 24 of 81 shots, a hair under 30 percent, while North Platte was 23 of 66 (35 percent).
Antonio Dye led MCC with 24 points and Andrew Hanson added 13. Chase Grabau paced North Platte with 18 points.
The MCC coach labels North Platte, 19-4, as the best team in the region, and the victory was huge for his team. The vocal McCook crowd also got Lenhart's attention.
"I thought it was a really solid atmosphere, I thought our crowd was great tonight," he said. "We had great support, from not only our student body, but also our community, and that means a lot. I think this program in the last three years has come a long way and has taken steps forward."
The Indians, 18-8, host Central Community College of Columbus Friday, Feb. 12. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m at True Hall gym.
No excuses
There were no excuses offered by McCook Community College women's basketball head coach Benjamin Smith in his team's 69-63 loss to North Platte C.C. Tuesday, Feb. 9.
Coach Smith said the Knights made the plays down the stretch and his MCC ladies didn't.
"I think their players deserve a lot of credit -- (North Platte) made winning plays, where we came up a little bit short on those things," Smith said.
Tuesday's Nebraska Community College Athletic Conference rivalry game was played at True Hall gym on the MCC campus in McCook. The Indians saw a double-digit lead in the first half dissolve to an eight-point deficit in the final two minutes of the contest.
"I think we got a little bit deflated," Coach Smith said. "We were within (three points) and missed four straight free throws at one point (seven minutes left).
"Being up 12 in the first half at one point, then going into the locker room with a seven-point lead, and for them to come all the way back and get a seven, eight-point lead on us, that sort of took the air out of our sails, I thought."
McCook held a 13-point lead late in the first half after consecutive 3-point shots by Elle Heister, a 5-7 freshman from Monument, Colo. North Platte then scored six unanswered points to pull within 38-31 at intermission.
The Knights took a 42-39 lead early in the second half. MCC went on a 12-0 run to grab a 51-42 lead midway through the second half. North Platte answered with a 16-0 run to lead 58-51 with just over four minutes left. The visitors stretched the gap to 65-57 with 2:21 remaining on a pair of free throws by Shaylyn Miller.
The Indians cut the gap to 65-61 with just under a minute to go, but North Platte made four straight free throws to help ice the win.
Key free throws
North Platte hit 27 of 38 free throws, while McCook was 19 of 30 at the line.
"That's just tough to overcome that many points at the charity stripe," Smith said. "We had our chances at the stripe, too, to sort of ice the game a little bit and we didn't come up with them.
"In the second half we shot pretty poorly from the free throw line (13 for 23). We had some bunnies, some layups -- the kids put themselves in great positions to be successful and just didn't get the ball to go their way today. I think there were some crucial plays where (North Platte's) players just did a great job putting the ball in the hole. So credit goes to North Platte, they got the job done."
Hiester scored 20 points to lead the MCC women. Sierra Guy, 5-7 sophomore from Canada, and Ellalee Fladland added 10 points each. Kirkendoll led North Platte with 22 points.
The McCook C.C. women will play the NCTA club team in Curtis Saturday, Feb. 13, with tip-off set for 7 p.m.