North Platte – The No. 5 North Platte Community College men’s basketball team (12-0, 4-0 South Sub-Region) returns to action after a month break on Friday January 10 and Saturday January 11 as they travel to Scottsbluff and Torrington, Wyo. for two Region IX South Sub-Region game. On Friday the Knights face the Western Nebraska Community College Cougars (10-6, 2-1 South Sub-Region) at 8:30 p.m. CST and then take on the Eastern Wyoming College Lancers (8-6, 0-3 South Sub-Region) Saturday at 5 p.m. CST.

North Platte is led by sophomore Ethan Montalvo who averages 15.3 points per game. Freshman Cameron Williams is the only other Knight averaging double figures at 12.0 points per game. Jake Maslo (6.8 rpg) and Aireon Porter (6.6 rpg) lead the Knights in rebounding. Tim Simmons paces the Knights with 2.4 assists per game.

The Cougars are led by freshman Diante Mitchell and freshman 7′ Brandon Morley. Mitchell averages 17.0 points per game while Morley averages 16.6 points per game and 8.7 rebounds per game. Western Nebraska enters the game on a four game winning streak after defeating the YMCA All-Stars on Tuesday 115-68.

Sophomore Jonathan Doss leads the Lancers in scoring and rebounding at 18.5 points per game and 8.5 rebounds per game. Kalil Potts is the Lancers second leading scorer at 17.4 points while Jason McClellan is the third Lancer in double-digits at 12.6 points per game. The Lancers face off against the McCook Community College Indians Friday in their first game of 2014 before taking on the Knights.

North Platte starts the year with seven straight road games as next week the Knights travel to Cheyenne, Wyo. to take on Laramie County Community College (12-5, 3-1 South Sub-Region), Beatrice to take on Southeast Community College (14-5) and Columbus to take on Central Community College (14-2). The Knights are next at home on Wednesday January 29 to face McCook Community College (11-4, 3-1 South Sub-Region) at 7:30 p.m.