In a defensive battle on Tuesday night at the Ketcham Community Center, the 4th-ranked (NJCAA D-II) North Central Missouri College women’s basketball secured a 51-45 victory over Kansas City Kansas Community College. The game, a rescheduled affair from a Sunday afternoon ‘snow-out’ marked a rebound for the team after their first loss of the season on Monday against 2nd-ranked Johnson County CC. The upcoming challenge for the Lady Pirates is a home game on Thursday (5:30 PM) against the Missouri Valley College JV.
Tori Meinecke (Mercer, MO) led the Lady Pirates with a double-double, contributing 16 points and securing 11 rebounds. Her performance, particularly in the paint, played a crucial role on both ends of the court. Off the bench, Gladys Brown added 11 points, including crucial free throws in the closing moments that helped maintain NCMC’s lead.
Nateonia Russell showcased defensive prowess, collecting 7 rebounds, contributing 6 points, and amassing 4 steals throughout the game.
Despite a challenging shooting night with a field goal percentage of 29.6%, the Lady Pirates’ defensive resilience and ability to convert free throws under pressure, shooting 65.2% from the charity stripe, paved the way for a hard-fought victory.
Photo credit – NCMC Athletics / NCMCPirates.com / Trenton, MO
