The Western Nebraska Community College men's basketball team put four players in double figures and played one of their best second halves of the season in registering a 79-73 win over Miles Community College Monday night at Cougar Palace.
The win snapped a 5-game losing skid and now the Cougars look to for their second straight win when they host Eastern Wyoming College Tuesday in a women's and men's doubleheader. The women's game starts at 5:30 p.m. with the men to follow.
WNCC head coach Roybell Baez thought his team's second half performance was one of the best of the season with how they played as a team and hit shots.
"I thought that was our best second half effort we've had all year," he said. "We came out defending. We got like three of four steals in a row and got those big dunks and that kind of carried the momentum for the rest of the second half. Honestly, it's been our best defensive game all year. I am proud of those guys.
"We've been watching a lot of film and we've been having a lot of come to Jesus meetings because we haven't been playing the way that I personally think we could. I thought tonight was a complete team effort. They rallied and I couldn't be more proud of these guys."
WNCC shot 39 percent from the field but buried nine 3-pointers with seven of those coming in the second half. Miles shot 33 percent and had just three triples.
WNCC was led by Viktor Lukic-Gavric with 23 points, including four 3-pointers. Kellon Harris chipped in 15 points with two triples, while Toms Linis had 11 points and Isaiah St. Preux had 10 points.
The first half belonged to Miles for the majority of the half. The Pioneers jumped to a 14-11 lead before WNCC scored five straight to take a 16-14 lead. Miles came right back with a 7-0 run to lead 21-16.
WNCC followed with a 7-0 run of their own to take a 23-21 lead. The game went back and forth until Lukic-Gavric nailed a 3-pointer for the 33-32 Cougar lead at halftime.
WNCC came out of the locker room fired up as they scored the first six points back-to-back dunks by Linis and Dorin Nguema for a 39-32 lead. The Cougars built the lead to double figures at 55-43 on a Kellon Harris steal and bucket.
Miles came back to make it a 6-point contest several times. With the score at 61-55, WNCC widened the lead to 13 when they went on another 7-0 run for a 68-55 lead. WNCC was up 75-64 with two minutes to play when Miles cut the deficit to four, 75-71. WNCC hit clutch free throws down the stretch to get the win.
Miles 32 41 – 73
WNCC 33 46 – 79
MILES
Jace Hill 11, Azenio Cossa 29, Uwami Chongo 8, Josh Gosar 5, Shad Boyce 9, Owen McParland 1, Donnie Haney 9, Dylan Swenson 1.
WNCC
Melchi Egbeyemi 2, Isaiah St. Preux 10, Amara Jackson 8, Nehemiah Jean Charles 3, Toms Linis 11, Xavier Kirkpatrick 1, Kellon Harris 15, Viktor Lukic-Gavric 23, Dorin Nguema 6.