NCMC grabs early season momentum with weekend sweeps

The North Central Missouri College women rebounded strongly from a season-opening loss at Highland with a pair of weekend wins at the NCMC Classic, while the #5 ranked (NJCAA D-2) Pirate men swept a pair of games in the KCK Classic in weekend action from across the region. 

On Friday night, the Lady Pirates made a decisive first-quarter statement against 17th ranked Iowa Western, as #12 ranked NCMC, in its home opener, outscored the Rievers 26-8 over the first 10 minutes.  With Iowa Western shooting only 25 percent in a road setback, North Central rolled to a 75-43 win, improving to 1-1 on the season. 

Fourteen players saw playing time for NCMC, with freshman guard Honor Mannings scoring a team-high 15 points in 15 minutes, hitting 5 of 6 shots from the field, including a pair of three-point shots.  Jessica Reeter added nine points, with Maddi Fisher, A’Myah Bankston, and Oliviya Tinoco seven each for the Lady Pirates.  Sydney Donaldson was the only Iowa Western player in double figures, scoring 10 points. 

The Pirate men, playing in the KCK Classic at the A. Fred Pohlman Fieldhouse in Kansas City, improved to 3-0 with a 99-74 win over Iowa Central Community College.  Camden Bennett had 29 points, including 7 of 10 accuracy from three-point range, to lead NCMC.  Tyler King contributed 19 points, with Deng Gak 11, and Joe Clark 10.  Iowa Central had 14 points from Lane Campbell and Jordan Cain, with Aleix Sempere-Serrano scoring 10. 

Saturday brought a pair of challenging games for the Pirate teams, back at the same locations from the prior night.  In action heard on KGOZ FM 101.7, the Lady Pirates outscored Neosho County to win the NCMC Classic championship, 109-85.  In Kansas City, the Pirates handed Kansas City Kansas CC its first loss of the season, with an 86-68 final score. 

In the women’s game, Jessica Reeter led NCMC with 26 points, with Honor Mannings scoring 18, Jacie Morris 17, Oliviya Tinoco 15, and Abbi Fountain 12 points, as the Lady Pirates improved to 2-1.  For 2-2 Neosho County, Tiara Hozumi had 14 points, Audrey Hendrix 13, while Chloe Parker, Amrri Thompson, and Najya O’Neal had 10 points each. 

In the Saturday afternoon win for the North Central men, All-American Tyler King had 28 points, with Camden Bennett 18, Giovanni Mack 16, and Jon Carroll 13. 

The NCMC women and men will host Southwestern (Iowa) Community College in a 5:30 doubleheader at the Ketcham Community Center on Wednesday night, with Tom Johnson providing the play-by-play call on KGOZ FM 101.7.