The North Platte Community College Knights basketball team fell short against the Dodge City Community College Conquistadors 80-79 at McDonald-Belton Gymnasium on Saturday night.
Dodge City avenged a loss 70-68 on their home court to the Knights on November 18. In that game Marco Pascolo hit a three pointer with 1.4 seconds to win it for the Knights.
In the first half Saturday the Conquistadors jumped out to a 22-16 lead. The Knights then went on a 19-6 run to take their largest lead of the first half 35-28. The Knights held a 38-35 lead at halftime.
In the second half, the Knights led by 6 with just under 14 minutes to play 52-46. The Conquistadors went on a 20-5 run to take a nine-point lead 66-57.
The Knights were down by four late, 80-76. Cameron Williams attempted a three pointer with time running out. He was fouled in the act of shooting and went to the line for three shots. Williams made all three shots to pull the Knights within one.
Williams led all scorers with a career high 46 points. Williams’ 46 points were four points shy of the school scoring record set by David Lafferty in 1970 against Eastern Wyoming College.
Williams has scored more than 30 points in his last four games, scoring a total of 130 points in the four games moving him into 36th place on the Knights’ all-time scoring list with 739 points.
CJ Polk was the only other Knight in double figures. Polk finished with 11 points. Marco Pascolo pulled down 11 rebounds, 9 on the defensive side.
The Conquistadors were balanced in their scoring with 5 of the 9 that played scoring in double figures. James Newton led the Conquistadors with 17 points, followed by Ameer Jackson with 16 points. Payton Pervier scored 15, George Brock scored 13, and EJ Eaves finished with 10 points.
The Knights fall to 10-3 on the season. Dodge City improves to 10-4.
The Knights are off until after the semester break. They return to action on January 6 when they travel to Goodland, Kansas to play Northwest Kansas Technical College. The game may be heard on ESPN Radio 1410 or www.northplattepost.com. Tip-off is at 7:00 p.m. CST.
North Platte returns home to play Western Nebraska Community College on January 9 in a National Junior College Athletic Association Region IX south sub-region game. The game may be seen on www.coachesaid.com . Tip-off is at 7:30 p.m. CST.
The North Platte Community College Lady Knights defeated the York College Junior Varsity Lady Panthers 52-47 Friday night.
The Lady Knights led at halftime 30-24.
The Lady Knights were led in scoring by April Stull with 13 points. Stull moved to number 21 in career scoring with 546 career points.
Sarah Mahr was the only other Lady Knight in double figures with 11.
The Lady Panthers were led in scoring by Sarah Shafer, who led all scorers with 17 points. The only other Lady Panther to score in double figures was Alexandra Payne, who scored 13 points.
The Lady Knights improve to 8-5 on the season. York College Junior Varsity falls to 1-6.
The Lady Knights were scheduled to play Nebraska Wesleyan Junior Varsity on Saturday. That game has been cancelled. The Lady Knights return to action on January 9 at McDonald-Belton Gymnasium against Colorado Christian Junior Varsity. Tip-off is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. CST.
The North Platte Community College Lady Knights hope to improve their 7-5 record as they travel to York, Nebraska to face the York College Junior Varsity Lady Panthers on Friday, December 12. Tip-off is set for 6:30 p.m. CST.
The Lady Panthers JV are 1-5 coming into the contest, losing earlier in the season to Northeastern Junior College 94-56. The Knights beat Northeastern Tuesday night at home 63-55.
The Lady Panthers are averaging 44.7 points per game and giving up 83 points per game.
The Lady Knights are averaging 62.8 points per game and allowing 60.1 points per game.
The Lady Knights are led by sophomore April Stull. Stull is averaging 17.1 points per game, 9.6 rebounds per game, and 1.4 blocks per game.
Aliyah Brown is second in scoring, averaging 9.8 points per game. Brown also averages 3.5 steals and 2.1 assists per game.
The Lady Knights return home on January 9, 2015 when they play Colorado Christian Junior Varsity.
The North Platte Community College defeated the Northwestern Kansas Technical College Mavericks 81-68 Wednesday night at McDonald-Belton Gymnasium.
In the first half the Mavericks jumped out to a 28-15 lead. The Knights went on a 19-5 run to take the lead 34-33. The Knights maintained the lead to take a 42-38 halftime lead.
Three point shooting was prevalent in the first half as the Knights shot 7 of 15 three pointers and the Mavericks shot 6 of 13 three pointers.
In the second half the Mavericks only made 2 of 11 from behind the arc while the Knights made 4 of 11.
The Knights never trailed in the second half, leading by as much as 18 (74-56).
Cameron Williams, once again led the Knights in scoring with 30 points. Williams has scored 30 or more points in the last three games. He also contributed with 4 rebounds, 2 assists, and 2 steals.
The Knights had three other players to score in double figures. Shyquinn Dix with 11 points, Marco Pascolo and CJ Polk, each with 10 points. Pascolo also grabbed 9 rebounds.
Freshman Matt Thomas scored 9 points and handed out 7 assists.
The Mavericks had four players in double figures. DeAngelo Stewart and Montrell Williams each had 13 points. Daniel Ramis had 11 points and James Sylvester had 10 points to pace the Mavericks.
The Mavericks fall to 9-6 on the season.
The Knights improve to 10-2 on the season. They return to action on Saturday, December 13 as they host the Conquistadors of Dodge City Community College.
Earlier in the year, the Knights beat the Conquistadors on a shot with 1.4 seconds to go by Marco Pascolo, 70-68.
Ryan Purdy, president of Mid-Plains Community College, presents Thalken with a plaque for her service to NPCC. It was part of a retirement celebration for Thalken at the McDonald-Belton Gymnasium Tuesday evening.
It was an emotional night for Sally Thalken.
“I can’t believe this,” Thalken said looking around at the people crammed into the Knights VIP room. “I wasn’t prepared for all this, but isn’t it fun?”
Thalken, who retired Nov. 30 after a 34-year career as head volleyball coach at North Platte Community College, was honored Tuesday night during halftime of the NPCC Knights men’s basketball game.
Ryan Purdy, president of Mid-Plains Community College, presented Thalken with a plaque for her service to NPCC, and Dwight Livingston, mayor, officially proclaimed Dec. 9 as “Sally Thalken Day” in North Platte.
Jody Tomanek, MPCC’s area vice-president of academic affairs, read a recognition letter sent to Thalken on behalf of the National Junior College Athletic Association.
Members of the first team Thalken led to nationals announced they would purchase two bleacher seats in the McDonald-Belton Gymnasium’s “Knight’s Court” and name them after Thalken’s parents. The purchase is part of a campaign to replace the bleachers.
Sally Thalken waves to the crowd gathered in the McDonald-Belton Gymnasium Tuesday night. Her retirement celebration was attended by her family, friends and former players.
Although humbled and grateful for the accolades, it was the turnout for the reception that truly touched Thalken’s heart.
More than 100 of her former players attended the event to see old friends, share memories and, most importantly, pay tribute to the woman who will forever be a legend in their eyes.
“I love Sally. She’s a great lady,” said Renee Tatman, of North Platte. “I played basketball for her in 1981, and she looked as young as we did. She will always be ‘Coach’ to me. She taught my son, and he calls her ‘Coach,’ too. That’s just who she is – retiring or not.”
Carmen (Buckbee) Erickson, of North Platte, also played basketball for Thalken in ’81.
“It was an awesome experience,” Erickson said. “Sally wasn’t much older than us, which made her relatable. She was about 27, and we were 19. We all got really close.”
More recent players shared the same sentiment.
Kendra Nollette, of Hastings, played volleyball for Sally during the 2005-06 season as a libero.
“I will always remember pushing boards and conditioning on the sand volleyball court,” said Nollette. “But, my strongest memory will be of the relationships Sally built among the players. We became a family, and now we’re going to each other’s weddings and baby showers.”
Kristin Gewecke, of Kearney, played for Thalken during 2004-05 and was part of a team that qualified for nationals.
“Coach brought so many friends together and had a big role in our lives,” Gewecke said. “I remember the team playing twice at Columbus and hurting my wrist during the first game. Coach didn’t think it was a good idea for me to play the second game. She was always caring and had our best interests in mind.”
Thalken recruited Emily Hudson, formerly of Benkelman and now living in Trenton, after watching her compete at districts.
“I played for NPCC in the fall of 2005 and fall of 2006,” said Hudson. “I had heart surgery my sophomore year, so sat next to [Thalken] on the bench. She said if I wasn’t going to play, I was going to learn to coach. I’m a coach now, and it’s all because of her influence.”
Brenda (Schadegg) Smith, of Sidney, was on Thalken’s volleyball team in ’81.
“I will never get her passion and excitement out of my mind,” said Smith. “She genuinely cared about her players. When we were young and away from home, she was someone we could go to for support. Those are the kind of people you always want to keep in touch with, and we have.”
Dena (Weinman) Mills, of Arnold, played basketball in ’83 and ’84 and also traveled with Thalken’s volleyball team to nationals.
“She was a big influence,” said Mills, of Thalken. “She would drive through my town recruiting and stop to visit. It means a lot that she’s still vested in our lives and wants to know about our kids and grandkids.”
Lauri (Tomas) Blake, was on the same team as Mills. She is now a state district judge in Bonham, Texas. Blake said she owes a big part of her success in the professional world to Thalken.
“She took time to introduce her girls to people who could make a difference in their lives,” Blake said. “If there’s one word to describe her, it’s ‘selfless.’ She worked 24-7 and was concerned about improving us as people – not just as athletes.”
Jacqueline (Mecomber) Yenni, of North Platte, agreed with that statement.
“Sally was and continues to be an inspiration,” Yenni said. “I work as a mental health therapist. I own my own business and am an entrepreneur and a landlord. It all started with someone caring, and that person was Sally.”
Yenni was offered scholarships to play volleyball at NPCC.
“My family didn’t have the money for me to go to school,” said Yenni. “The scholarships got me the education I needed and provided a stepping stone for the rest of my life. Now, I have a master’s degree. The whole NPCC athletic experience wasn’t about what we did – it was about who we became in the process.”
Thalken only retired from coaching. She will continue to teach at the college and will remain area chair of the MPCC mathematics and science division
The North Platte Community College Knights men’s basketball team defeated the Northeastern Junior College Plainsmen 85-81 Tuesday.
The Plainsmen jumped out to a 8-2 lead at the beginning of the game. North Platte tied the game at nine on a dunk by Marco Pascolo.
The Knights took their largest lead in the first half 33-23 on a field goal by Shyquinn Dix with 7 minutes left in the first half. The Plainsmen went on a 18-10 run to cut the lead at halftime 43-41.
In the second half, Knights freshmen Matt Thomas, Shyquinn Dix, and sophomore Cameron Williams scored 19 points to increase the Knights lead to eight, 62-54 with 10:16 left in the game.
There were 8 lead changes and 10 ties in the game. The last tie was with 6:14 to go at 64-64.
Free throws down the stretch from Williams, Tyree Peter, and Loick Pouale sealed the victory. The Knights for the game went 19 of 23 from the free throw line.
Cameron Williams led all scorers with 32 points. Williams moved into 49th place on the North Platte scoring list, knocking head coach Kevin O’Connor out of the top 50.
Other Knights to score in double figures were: Shyquinn Dix with 16 points, Matt Thomas with 14 points, and Marco Pascolo with 10 points. Pascolo also led the Knights with 11 rebounds. Peter contributed with 8 rebounds.
The Plainsmen were led in scoring by Isiah Cooper with 21 points. Four other Plainsmen scored in double figures. James Dumes and Logan Kelley each had 11 points. Shikei Blake and Robert Jones both had 10 points.
The victory improves the Knights record to 9-2 on the season and 3-1 in the National Junior College Athletic Association Region IX South Sub-Region.
The Plainsmen fall to 10-4 on the year and 3-1 in the south sub-region.
The Knights don’t have much time to celebrate their victory. Northwest Kansas Technical College comets to town Wednesday, December 10. The game may be heard on ESPN Radio 1410 or online at www.northplattepost.com. It will also be video live streamed at www.coachesaid.com . Tip-off is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. CST.
The North Platte Community College Lady Knights defeated the Northeastern Junior College Plainswomen 63-55 Tuesday night at McDonald- Belton Gymnasium. The North Platte win broke a seven game winning streak by the Plainswomen.
The first half was a tightly contested half. There were seven lead changes and 4 ties. The largest lead in the half was by the Plainswomen 20-15 with five minutes to go. The score was tied at 24 at intermission.
The Lady Knights started the second half on a 16-5 run to lead 40-29 with 15:11 to play in the game. The Lady Knights never relinquished the lead, even though the Plainswomen cut the lead to two a couple of times.
Lady Knights Head Coach Richard Thurin said: “We played great defense and played a full game. It was a big win.”
April Stull and Sarah Mahr led the Lady Knights with 14 points. Stull has now scored 533 points in her career which ties her with Karman Widick and Cecilia Bieber for 22ndon
the North Platte Community College All-Time scoring list. Stull also grabbed 14 rebounds for the team lead.
The only other Lady Knight to score in double figures was Ester Micheva, who scored 11 points. Micheva also had six steals and nine rebounds.
The Plainswomen were led in scoring by Arianne Sheka, who led all scorers with 17 points. The only other Plainswoman to score in double figures was Raynisha Washington with 11 points. Washington also led the Plainswomen with 8 rebounds.
The Knights improved to 7-5 on the year. The Plainswomen dropped to 12-2.
The Lady Knights travel to York, Nebraska Friday, December 12 to face York College Junior Varsity.
The North Platte Community College Knights men’s basketball team will host the Northwest Kansas Technical College Mavericks on Wednesday, December 10 at McDonald-Belton Gymnasium. Tip-off is at 7:00 p.m. CST
The Mavericks are 9-5 on the season, averaging 77.4 points per game. Defensively, the Mavericks allow 55.3 points per game.
Northwest Kansas Technical College has four players who are scoring in double figures, led by DeAngelo Stewart with 14.6 points per game. Other players averaging double figures are: Montrell Williams with 12.9 points per game, James Sylvester at 10.3 points per game, and Brodrick Robinson at 10 points per game.
The Knights are 9-2 on the year, scoring 82.4 points per game, while allowing 64.3 points per game.
The Knights are led in scoring by Cameron Williams at 19.4 points per game, followed by Marco Pascolo and Shyquinn Dix, who are averaging 12.4 points per game and 11.5 points per game respectively.
Sally Thalken is the winningest active coach in the National Junior College Athletic Association.
During her 34-year career as head volleyball coach at North Platte Community College, Thalken has had 921 wins and 610 losses, coached 12 All-Americans and led her team to nationals five times.
She has been named Region IX Coach of the Year, District Coach of the Year and has been inducted into the NJCAA Volleyball Hall of Fame. However, it’s not the athletic victories that stand out in her mind – it’s the personal ones.
“You can’t get hung up on titles,” said Thalken. “For me, this job is all about the relationships you build with the kids.”
Coaching volleyball wasn’t her goal when she graduated from Ogallala High School in 1971. Partly, because she never played the sport.
“At that time, we only had track,” said Thalken. “I swam competitively at the University of Nebraska – Kearney my sophomore and junior years, so really, my sports background upon completion of college, was in aquatics.”
Her first job after UNK was teaching kindergarten through 12th grade physical education in Ainsworth.
“It was pretty remote, but I really loved it,” said Thalken. “I coached volleyball, basketball and track during my six years there. I kind of regret that I never got to serve as an assistant coach under someone great, though. I’ve been a head volleyball coach for 39 out of 40 years and just kind of grew into the job.”
It was in the summer of 1981 that Thalken heard about the opportunity to teach and coach volleyball and basketball at NPCC. Her predecessor left behind a skilled group of athletes willing to work hard.
“I walked into a real good situation,” Thalken said. “I had tremendous support from the administration, and I had great athletes who were smart kids. We were able to be successful not because of me, but because of them.”
She coached basketball at NPCC from 1981-1991, and recruited 62 players during that time. On the volleyball side, she has recruited 251 students for the college, 37 of whom were from North Platte.
“I’ve tried to recruit from our 18-county area,” said Thalken. “I like the idea of recruiting highly skilled kids who can be supported by their families and friends. It’s my philosophy, and it’s worked so far.”
That being said, the practice doesn’t come without its challenges.
“One is that a lot of the kids started for three to four years at their high schools, so helping each feel like she can contribute can be difficult,” said Thalken. “They come here with the vision and intent of competing, and sometimes it doesn’t work out. The goal is to have great players work together.”
She remembers many individual players who have stood out over the years – as well as several groups.
“We had a group qualify for nationals in ’84, back when we competed without divisions,” Thalken said. “We were truly the best team that year. It was quite an accomplishment. But, I also have fond memories of years when we weren’t as good. Sometimes the teams that are the most successful aren’t the ones with the most wins.”
Walking away from coaching was something she had given serious thought to for years. She attributes the decision to a combination of factors.
For one thing, it will allow her to be more available to her 91-year-old mother, who is in an assisted living home in Ogallala, instead of being out of town for games. Thalken will also be able to pursue hobbies she hasn’t had time for previously.
“Plus, I believe the team needs more youthful leadership,” said Thalken. “Although the kids keep me young at heart, sometimes it’s difficult to find that physical energy required day in and day out for coaching and teaching in the classroom.”
She will remain area chair of the Mid-Plains Community College mathematics and science division, will continue to teach at the college and will still be a familiar face at NPCC volleyball games.
“What will I miss the most? I really don’t know because I haven’t gotten there, yet,” said Thalken. “I do know that it seems like the right time to go.”
The North Platte Community College men’s and women’s basketball teams will host Northeastern Junior College Tuesday, December 9 at McDonald-Belton Gymnasium.
Tip-offs for the games will be at 5:30 p.m. CST for the women’s game and 7:30 p.m. CST for the men’s game.
The Lady Knights come into the game 6-5. They are led in scoring by sophomore April Stull, who is averaging 17.4 points per game. Stull is also leading the Lady Knights in rebounding with 8.8 rebounds per game.
The Plainswomen are 12-2 and currently on a seven game winning streak. They are led by Arianne Sheka with 13.2 points per game and eight rebounds per game. Other Plainswomen scoring in double figures are: Brooke Blair, with 10.5 points per game, Danielle Rinaldo with 10.5 points per game, and Cierra Davis with 10.2 points per game. Davis also leads the team in rebounds with 9.1 rebounds per game.
The men’s game is a key matchup in the National Junior College Athletic Association Region IX South Sub-Region. The Knights are currently 2-1 in sub-region play, while the Plainsmen are leading the sub-region at 3-0.
The Knights (8-2) are led in scoring by sophomore Cameron Williams, who is averaging 19.2 points per game. Williams is also currently leading the Region IX south sub-region in scoring. Other Knights scoring in double figures are Marco Pascolo, with 12.4 points per game, and Shyquinn Dix, with 11.3 points per game. Pascolo is also leading the Knights in rebounding with 8.2 rebounds per game.
The Plainsmen (10-3) have one player averaging in double figures, Shikei Blake with 17. 1 points per game. Blake also leads the Plainsmen in rebounding with 7.2 rebounds per game.
During halftime of the men’s game will be the recognition of North Platte Community College head volleyball coach Sally Thalken. Thalken is retiring from coaching after 34 years with a 921-610 record.
The North Platte Community College Knights basketball team fell short against the Dodge City Community College Conquistadors 80-79 at McDonald-Belton Gymnasium on Saturday night.
