The North Platte Community College Knights basketball season came to an end in the semifinals of the National Junior College Athletic Association Region IX Division I tournament, losing to the Northwest College Trappers 85 – 72 on Friday night.
The Trappers who were the host team of the tournament, jumped out to a 9 – 3 lead and maintained the lead to 17 – 10. The Knights went on an 11 – 4 run to tie the game at 21. In the early going Marco Pascolo and Cameron Williams provided the spark for the Knights scoring 20 of the 21 points.
The Trappers held a 42 – 27 halftime lead.
The Knights started out the second half by going on a 16 – 0 run to take the lead 43 – 42. The Knights biggest lead in the game was two 51 – 49 with 14:14 to go in the game. Matt Thomas scored 14 of his 16 points in the second half.
The Trappers opened up the game down the stretch outscoring the Knights 34 – 19 to take the victory.
“They are a very talented and physical team” Knights head coach Kevin O’Connor said.
Sophomore Pascolo led the Knights with 22 points. Pascolo also grabbed seven rebounds for the Knights. Fellow sophomore Williams and freshman Thomas added 16 points. Williams ended his Knights career with 1126 points which places him seventh on the Knights all-time scoring list. Sophomore Riley Rice grabbed 10 rebounds to lead the Knights.
The Knights finish the season with a 24 – 9 record.
The 15th ranked Trappers, who are 29 – 4, advance to the championship game of the Region IX tournament against Gillette College, and qualify for the national tournament in Hutchinson, Kansas with the win. The Trappers were led by Christopher Boucher, who had 28 points and 15 rebounds. William Desilien added 24 points and Daryle Morgan added 10.
Williams, Pascolo and Rice along with Luke Pittle and Xavier Hall end their Knights career with a 51 -13 record.