The North Central Missouri College women and men claimed victories on Saturday afternoon, in the first Pirate home games of 2025 at the Ketcham Community Center in Trenton.
Playing without starting guard Gladys Brown, the Lady Pirates struggled to find offensive rhythm throughout the opening contest, but a second-half hot shooting streak from Jessica Reeter, and the North Central steady strong defense provided enough boost for a 69-59 win over Southeast (Nebraska) Community College, sending the 16th ranked Lady Pirates to 11-7 on the season.
Reeter finished with a game-high 18 points for North Central, with Oliviya Tinoco adding 13. Brown missed the game after suffering a bruised toe in a loss earlier in the week at Johnson County Community College.
Southeast was paced by Jessica Wertenberger with 17 points. The NCMC women are next in action on Wednesday night at 5:30, playing at Southwestern Community College in a 5:30 tipoff on KGOZ Hot Country Z 101.7, as Tom Johnson has the call from Creston, Iowa.
The #1 ranked (NJCAA Division 2) North Central Missouri College men quickly opened up a double-digit lead over Southeast and had their game in cruise control for the better part of the second half, moving to 16-0 with an 88-67 win over the SCC Bobcats.
Jon Carroll had 19 points, Tyler King 16, Camden Bennett 13, and Giovanni Mack 12 for North Central, with Chang Deng scoring 16 points and Zai Piegler 12 for Southeast.
The Pirate men, remaining #1 in Monday’s national Division Two poll, will travel to Oglesby, Illinois on Tuesday night to play Illinois Valley Community College in the latest test for one of two unbeaten teams (Pima Community College is in the other) in the NJCAA Division Two national Top 25.
