Both North Central Missouri College basketball teams were in action on Saturday afternoon, with the Lady Pirates challenging unbeaten, #2 nationally-ranked Johnson County Community College on the Cavaliers home court in Overland Park, Kansas, while Jeremy Esry’s Pirates traveled east to Quincy, Illinois, for a meeting with the traditionally tough Trail Blazers of John Wood Community College.
In the women’s game, broadcast on Hot Country Z 101.7, the Lady Pirates played tough, inspired basketball, but found the path to victory blocked by Johnson County’s back-court tandem of Tristin McFeders and Paige Elston, who used lightning quick steps and elusive ball skills to dash through the North Central defense for a combined 41 points (23 by McFeders) in an 83-73 Johnson County victory.
Starting guard Cerena Reeves had 14 points for the Cavaliers, while St. Joseph Benton graduate and Cavalier sophomore Kylee Williams hit three 3-point shots for JCCC, part of a 10 point effort, as JCCC moves to 3-0 on the season.
North Central, falling to 1-2 on the campaign, trailed Johnson County throughout the final three quarters, but made a series of surges at the Cavaliers, including one in the second half that drew the Lady Pirates within as close as three points. Samm Jett had a team-high 18 points for North Central, including three made 3-point shots. Sarah Lamp added 14, Kendey Eaton 10, and Nicole Kost 10 for NCMC, now 1-2.
Next week, NCMC will host a pair of four-year junior varsity squads, as Park University visits the Ketcham Community Center on Wednesday night at 5:30, with Central Methodist on the Trenton campus to play the Lady Pirates on Friday, November 10th at 6 o’clock.
Coming off of Wednesday night’s blowout win over the Quincy University junior varsity, the North Central Missouri College men played another squad from Quincy on Saturday, but this team, the John Wood Trail Blazers, proved to be a much more difficult foe.
Losing a 12 point lead with eight minutes remaining in the half, the Pirates had to leave Quincy feeling the sting of a ‘moral victory’, as the ‘Blazers rallied for an 86-78 triumph.
North Central led 39-38 at the half. Sophomore Ryan Ward led the Pirates with 18 points, with freshman Jake Salisbury adding 16, and sophomore Jalen Gant 13 points.
NCMC, starting the season 1-1, will move into a three-game week on Tuesday night, hosting the Missouri Valley JV at 7:30 inside the Ketcham Center. Next weekend, the Pirates are in Kansas City, Kansas, playing in the Blue Devil Classic. On Friday, November 10th, the Pirates take on the Highland Community College Scotties on the KCK campus, with a meeting with the host Blue Devils of KCKCC on Saturday night, November 11th, with a 6 o’clock tip on Hot Country Z 101.7.
