North Platte –The North Platte Community College Knights Basketball team will face the Miles Community College Pioneers in the quarterfinals of the 2016 National Junior College Athletic Association Region IX Men’s Basketball Tournament in La Junta, Colo., on Thursday, March 3 at 2 pm CST.
The Knights advanced to the quarterfinals with a 74-72 win over Trinidad State Junior College.
The Knights are 19-12 on the season and the number two seed in the South Sub-Region. Diontae Champion leads the Knights in scoring at 14.9 points per game. Tim Wagner is next at 14.3 ppg. Leito Holloway is third at 11.4 ppg and Tyree Peter is averaging 10.5 ppg. Peter is averaging a double-double by pulling down 10.2 rebounds per game. He is also the Knights single season record holder for offensive rebounds with 136 offensive rebounds.
Miles Community College advanced to the quarterfinals by upsetting the defending Region IX champion Northwest College Trappers 77-75.
The Pioneers are 15-16 on the season and the number three seed in the North Sub-Region in the eight team field.
The Pioneers rely on the three-point shot, averaging 29.1 attempts from behind the arc per game. They are shooting 34.3 percent from three-point range.
The Pioneers have four players in double figures led by Cole Ashby at 16.4 ppg. Jalen Shephard is next at 15.8 ppg. Riyahd Asad is the third Pioneer scoring in double digits at 12.2 ppg. Deng Kuany averages 10.9 ppg. Kameron Rauch leads the Pioneers with 8.0 rebounds per game.
The Knights, under Head Coach Kevin O’Connor are 3-0 against Miles.
The game will be broadcast on the radio at ESPN 1410 and online at www.northplattepost.com.