MCC men to open Region tournament Saturday at NJC

The McCook Community College men's basketball team is set to open the Region IX tournament Saturday at Sterling, Colo. against Northeastern Community College. Tipoff is set for 1 p.m. (CT).

MCC (10-20 overall) finished in a tie for fifth place with North Platte among seven teams in the Region IX South standings. Both had 4-8 records in the standings, however North Platte won the tie-breaker winning both games against MCC. Western Nebraska finished first at 11-1 (22-8 overall) and received a first-round bye and will host the remainder of the tournament after Saturday. Trinidad State (10-2) is the second seed and will host Lamar (1-11) Saturday. NJC finished third at 7-5 (14-13 overall). Otero JC (5-7) is the fourth seed and will host North Platte 4-8).

MCC Coach Jacob Brandl acknowledges frustration that the team was unable to secure a home game to start the tournament but he points to the example his first team in 2021. That team lost its final two games of the regular season at home and despite that team's 11-10 regular-season record, the Indians got hot at the right time and won three-straight tournament games and played in the championship game where they lost to Northeastern.

In the Region IX North division, Gillette College won the regular season title at 11-1 and received a first-round bye. The other six teams all play Saturday.

Saturday's winners move on to the remaining rounds and join the top four teams from the Region IX North division. Those remaining rounds will be played at Scottsbluff March 14-16.

BY THE NUMBERS: MCC averages 77.1 points per game, shoots 42.2 percent from the field, 29.7 from the 3-point line and 70.1 percent from the free-throw line. Defensively the Indians give up 82.4 points a game and averages 38. 7 rebounds

The Plainsmen average 75.5 points per game, shoot 44.1 percent from the field, 37.5 from the arc and 66.8 percent from the line. NJC gives up 74.1 points per game and averages 41.7 rebounds.

THE MATCHUP: MCC lost its final three games of the season and split the season with Northeastern JC.

On Jan. 24 at home, MCC overcame a 13-point deficit in the final six minutes to win in overtime 80-77. Sophomore Martel Evans (Omaha Creighton Prep) hit a basket with 18 seconds left in regulation to send the game into overtime. The two teams traded scores and were tied 74-74 midway through the extra five-minute period. NJC took a 76-75 lead with 1:19 remaining but the Indians won the game at the free-throw line making five of six down the stretch while the Plainsmen missed five straight free throws in the final 49 seconds.

Freshman Louie Tucker (Bristol, England) led MCC with 22 points with freshman Bryan Akanmu (Paris, France) put in 18. Evans and sophomore Ty Foster (Bronx, N.Y.) each scored 16. Akanmu paced the Indians on the boards with 11 and Tucker grabbed eight.

The Plainsmen outrebounded MCC 54-45.

In the rematch Feb. 10 at Sterling, Colo., the Plainsmen took control of the game early, led 51-32 at the half and won 80-69. NJC dominated the rebounding in that game 45-20.

Akanmu led all scorers with 30 points, making was 12 of 18 from the field, three-for-six from the 3-point line and three-for-three at the free-throw line. Tucker scored 14 points and made four of nine 3-pointers.

NJC won their final two games of the regular season against Lamar, the first one by forfeit.

THE PLAYERS: Tucker leads the Indians in scoring and is fourth in the south averaging 14.8 per game and in rebounds with 6.7. His 3-point shooting percentage of 37.3 also leads the team.

Evans averages 13.7 points per game and 4.0 rebounds. Foster averages 12 points and Akanmu averages 11.5 a game and is second in rebounds with 6.1 per game.

For NJC, sophomore Jalen Fox and freshman Deng Diew both score 13.8 points per game, while Foy leads the Plainsmen and is second in the south region with 8.1 rebounds per game.

Men's Region IX South Standings
                       W-L    PCT.    OVERALL
Western Neb.  11-1    .917       22-8
Trinidad State 10-2    .833       21-7
Northeastern   7-5     .583       14-13
Otero JC         5-7     .417       13-16
North Platte    4-8     .333       13-15
McCook          4-8     .333       10-20
Lamar CC      1-11    .083        8-22
* Will host the Region IX tournament after the first round

SATURDAY'S FIRST-ROUND GAMES
McCook CC at Northeastern Junior College, 1 p.m. (CT)
Lamar at Trinidad State, 2 p.m. (MT)
North Platte at Otero JC, 3 p.m. (MT)

NEXT ROUND OF REGION IX POST-SEASON TOURNAMENT
Second Round – March 14-16 at Scottsbluff

Final Men's Region IX North Standings
                       W-L     PCT     Overall
*Gillette          11-1    .917       26-4
Casper College 10-2    .833       22-8
Cent. Wyoming 7-5     .583       16-14
Lamamie Co.    5-7     .417       16-14
Northwest        4-8     .333       13-17
Western Wyo.   4-8     .333       15-14
Eastern Wyo.  1-11     .083         4-24
* Received first round bye

SATURDAY'S FIRST-ROUND GAMES
Northwest College at Central Wyoming, 2 p.m. (MT)
Western Wyoming at Laramie County CC, 2 p.m. (MT)
Eastern Wyoming at Casper College, 4 p.m. (MT)

NEXT ROUND OF REGION IX POST-SEASON TOURNAMENT
Second Round – March 14-16 at Scottsbluff