The North Central Missouri College Pirates opened Saturday afternoon’s Region XVI opener against Metropolitan Community College on a 27-10 surge, looking as if a blowout of the visiting Wolves was in order. However, Metropolitan would right the ship, beginning to surge toward the Pirates, and even take a lead briefly in the second half. However, NCMC had a counter-punch, outplaying MCC over the final five minutes for a 100-90 victory at the Ketcham Community Center.
In action heard on Hot Country Z 101.7, Kam Bevel led a sizzling Pirate offensive attack with 26 points, while Gerald Gittens contributed 23. Carlton Thomas was strong in the post for the Pirates with 15 points, with Sterling DeSha adding 13. North Central (14-5, 1-0) will host the Peru State College JV on Tuesday night at 7:30.
Metropolitan Community College, in falling to 12-5 on the season, had 23 points from Najee Williams, with Keyren Spiller scoring 18, Jordan Nichols and Christian Bradford 16 each, and Tysen Brennan 11.
Due to lack of numbers, the MCC women disbanded their team for the rest of the season, cancelling the 2 o’clock scheduled game with the Lady Pirates. To make up that weekend game, NCMC brought in the Cottey College JV to play on Sunday night at 7 o’clock.
In that contest, also broadcast on KGOZ, the 19th ranked (NJCAA Division Two) Lady Pirates improved to 13-4 by walloping the overmatched Comets, 90-43. Nora Ford continued a spectacular sophomore season for North Central, hitting four three-point shots as part of a 22 point night. Mary Copeland, a freshman center from Polo, Missouri, had 14 points for NCMC, with Kennadie Crowe adding 12 points, and Mercer native, freshman forward Tori Meinecke, chipping in with 11. Cottey was led by Lesley Chalmers with 22 points.
The Lady Pirates will host the Missouri Valley JV on Tuesday night at 5:30. The next game for North Central against a non-four year JV team will be Saturday, February 4th at Southeast (NE) Community College. While in the short term, the Lady Pirates will lose the intensity and importance of Region XVI play, North Central is beefing up its February slate, adding games against the likes of Iowa Central and Kirkwood to its pre-postseason schedule.
