Guard trio leads MCC men over Lancers

The McCook Community College men’s basketball team got 68 points from three guards Saturday in an 82-65 win over Eastern Wyoming. The game was the final home game of the semester and last one until Jan. 21.

“Our guards played really well tonight,” said MCC Assistant Coach Drake Henderson. “We had two different starters at guard and anytime you get that kind of contribution from three different guys that’s huge.

With the roster limited by injuries, fouls and personal issues, sophomore guards and Norris Bourne Jr. (Beaumont, Texas) and Dave Olaniyi (Newark, N.J.) stepped into the starting role.

Bourne, who’d started two of MCC’s first 11 games, entered the game averaging 13.9 points per game but poured in a game-high 33 points Saturday. He made 11 of 18 shots from the field including six makes in 11 tries from the 3-point line. Olaniyi, who started once in his first 10 games had been averaging 7.4 points per game and hit for 17 against the Lancers. He went seven-for-13 from the field, made one of four shots from distance and grabbed six rebounds.

“Madison Peaster was out with some personal stuff, and he’d been our leader on the floor all year, so Norris and Dave really stepped up and that was good to see,” said Henderson.

Freshman Nate Coley (Little Rock, Ark.), who started Friday and scored 31 points followed that up with 18 points Saturday against the Lancers and grabbed six rebounds.

“For him to follow up that big game Friday with another solid effort Saturday and a great weekend and hopefully he can keep that going,” said Henderson.

MCC was able to build a 36-28 lead at the half and stretched it to 24 points with eight minutes left in the game and coasted to their fifth straight win at home.

The Indians shot 45.3 percent from the field, made 11 of 30 shots from the 3-point line but made just 13 of 26 free throws (50 percent). MCC held a 44-43 rebound edge in the game and turned the ball over nine times.

Eastern Wyoming shot 34.4 percent from the field, made six of 14 3-pointers (42.9 percent) and made 17 of 24 free throws (70.8 percent).

Freshman Vladimir Brkovic (Uzice, Serbia) led MCC with 11 rebounds and five assists. He came off the bench to play 31 minutes after an injury to freshman starter Da'Shawn Hall-Johnson (Bridgeport, Conn.).

Freshman Jason Robinson (Waterbury, Conn.) scored six points and sophomore transfer Meek Ater (Yirol, South Sudan) scored six points with seven rebounds.

Eastern Wyoming goes to 2-11

MCC moves to 7-6 on the season

The Indians will wrap up the pre-holiday schedule next weekend with a pair of games in the Region IX North/South Shootout in Sterling, Colo. MCC will take on Laramie County Friday for the third time this season and hope to sweep the Golden Eagles. On Saturday MCC takes on Western Wyoming.

Up-to-date information about MCC basketball including livestream links, schedule, statistics, rosters, photos and more can be found on the MCC Athletics website, www.mccindians.com