North Platte – The opening of the 2017-18 basketball season didn’t go as planned for the North Platte Community College Knights basketball team on Wednesday night, losing to the Hastings College Junior Varsity Broncos 88-83 at the McDonald-Belton Gymnasium.

The Broncos jumped out to a 17-7 lead, making their first five out of six three-pointers in the game. The Knights rallied to tie the score at 23 each.

The Knights went on an 18-1 run to take their biggest lead of 17 at 41-24. Trajan Harris scored 12 points during the run, including three three-pointers for the Knights.

The Broncos finished the half on a 16-8 run on four three pointers to trail the Knights at halftime 49-40.

The Broncos opened up the second half on a 19-10 run to tie the game up at 59 on a three-pointer by North Platte St. Pats graduate Bryce Byrn.

With the score tied at 62, the Broncos took the lead for good on a putback by Stratton Discoe to make it 64-62.

The Knights cut the Bronco lead to one at 83-82 on a basket by Godfrey Rolle.

For the game the Broncos made 13 of 30 from behind the three-point line.

Rolle led all scorers with 27 points. Harris added 17 for the Knights as the only other Knight to score in double figures. Buom Dubuol had nine rebounds and Ty Clement had eight to lead the Knights.

Ryan Ierna was one of five Broncos in double figures with 18 points. Byrn and Discoe each had 17 points. Trevor Adelung added 12 points and Zach Johnson added 11 points. Ierna also collected nine rebounds to lead the Broncos.

The Knights are in action next on November 17-18 when they travel to Cheyenne, Wyoming to play in the Laramie County Community College Classic.

They do not play at home until December 1, when they face Region IX South Sub-Region foe, Laramie County Community College.