North Central Missouri College sophomore guard Giovanni Mack scorched the Ketcham Community Center nets for 30 points on Tuesday night, leading the #2 ranked (NJCAA Division Two) Pirates to an 86-75 win over Highland (KS) Community College, completing an unbeaten (14-0) first semester for NCMC, as the contest was the final one for the team before the Holiday Break.
Mack scored 16 points in the first half, with the Pirates holding off a series of Scottie challenges to lead by only three points (45-42) at the break. In the second half, Mack added 14 more points, and by night’s end, had a perfect (7-7) shooting percentage from the free throw line. NCMC’s defense held Highland to just 33 points in the second half, proving to be a key element in the win.
Camden Bennett had 14 points with Jon Carroll and Tyler King scoring 13 each for North Central, with the Pirates next game action coming on Wednesday, January 8th at Johnson County Community College (7:30 PM) in Overland Park, Kansas.
For Highland (9-5), Tavian Tate had a 20 point effort, with Braiden Wagner and Markell McClain each scoring 11.
Just as the men’s game, the women’s game on Tuesday night featured an unbeaten team, in this case the 7th ranked Highland Community College Scotties, who entered the Ketcham Community Center 12-0 with a 64-61 win over North Central from November 5th already on their resume.
Not only did Highland beat NCMC again, this time, the result was more decisive, as a strong defensive effort combined with an overpowering game from sophomore center Cameron McNamara gave HCC a 71-55 road win.
McNamara had 28 points to go with 13 rebounds, while dishing out four assists. In a supporting role in the score column, starting guard Madison Brittle had 13 points and forward Jalasia Hull 10 for Highland.
North Central struggled from the field in the contest, shooting 34 percent, including a paltry 21 percent from behind the three-point line. The game was close for the better part of three quarters, but Highland ripped away control North Central had away with a double-digit run late in the third quarter, with the Scotties never seriously threatened in the fourth.
Jessica Reeter had 16 points for the Lady Pirates (7-3), with freshmen Honor Mannings and Kayanna Cranmer showing up as bright spots for the team, combining for 21 points off of the bench. Jacie Morris had 10 points as the North Central starting five was held to 34 points total.
While the Pirate men are now off for the holidays, there is no such break looming for the Lady Pirates, as six games over two separate tournaments are coming for the team before 2025.
Next week, NCMC will make its yearly trip to Palm Beach, Florida to play three contests in three days, playing Florida State-Jacksonville on Tuesday afternoon at 2 o’clock, Lake Land College on Wednesday at 2, and Palm Beach State on Thursday, December 19th at 4 o’clock.
On the final weekend of 2024, the NCMC women will travel to East Peoria, Illinois to play in the Illinois Central College Holiday Tournament, with a game against Schoolcraft College on December 28th at 4 o’clock, with additional games on December 29th and 30th. NCMC’s women will play at Johnson County against the 2nd-ranked Cavaliers on January 8th at 5:30.
