The North Central Missouri College Lady Pirates, after learning of the season-ending injury suffered by sophomore guard Asia Young, took their game to the road on Wednesday night, playing the rival Cottey Comets in Nevada, Missouri.
In a physical game that saw three technical fouls called against the coaches, the Lady Pirates held on in the final quarter for a 61-58 win, pushing NCMC to 14-5 overall, and 2-0 in Region XVI.
Lady Pirate coach Jenni Croy, arguing perceived missed calls of traveling and after having starting guard McKinley Hurley pushed to the floor without a whistle midway through the third quarter, received a double-technical and an immediate ejection, with Assistant Coach Lesli Collins coaching for the final 15 minutes.
The fuse lit by Coach Croy’s ejection seemed to light a fire under North Central, and particularly freshman guard Kendey Eaton, who finished the contest with 21 points, including 11 in the third quarter. Sarah Lamp finished with 17 points and Hurley, who fouled out in the game’s final 30 seconds, had 11 points.
The Lady Pirates active roster is down to seven players, as earlier in the day on Wednesday, the official diagnosis of a torn ACL came in from Asia Young’s MRI. Asia joins her twin sister Dasia in suffering ACL tears this season for the Lady Pirates.
Cottey College, coached by former NCMC All-American Stephanie Beason, drops to 2-2 in Region XVI play and 4-9 overall. Kelsey Acton had 17 points, Mallory Moles, and Kasey Acton 12 for the Comets.
Wednesday night’s game was broadcast from the Hinkhouse Center on the Cottey College campus on Hot Country Z 101.7.
The Lady Pirates and Pirates return to the Ketcham Community Center to take on the rival Penn Valley Scouts this Saturday, with the women’s tip at 1 o’clock, and men’s tip at 3, both to be broadcast on Hot Country Z 101.7.
