T-Birds can’t overcome early deficit, fall to Knights

NORTH PLATTE, Neb. — Unable to rebound from a slow start, the Cloud County Community College men's basketball team suffered a 76-66 loss to North Platte Community College on the second day of the Region IX-Region VI Shootout hosted by McCook Community College on Saturday.
Cloud County knocked off McCook 84-82 on Friday, but couldn't overcome an early 15-point deficit to North Platte.
The Thunderbirds fall to 5-2 with the loss.
Unbeaten North Platte (4-0) jumped out to a 32-17 lead in the game.
Cloud County would use a 9-2 spurt late in the first half to close the game to 34-26.
The T-Birds hit just 9 of 33 field goal attempts in first 20 minutes of play.
“We just didn't hit some shots in the first half,” Cloud County coach Jordan Altman said, “I thought we were able to get some good looks, and defensively we did a fairly good job.”
Cloud County limited North Platte to 31 percent (11 of 32) shooting in the second half, but was able to hang around but couldn't catch the Knights.
The T-Birds trailed by just six points, 60-54, late in the game.
North Platte would knock down nine of its last 10 free throws to secure the win.
“The deficit got bad a couple of times, but I was really proud of the guys for fighting through it,” Altman said, “We had a really short bench due to some injuries, and the guys, after digging themselves out of a hole, did everything they could to get out of it. We just ran out of time.”
The T-Birds were without freshman starter Gabe Pieschl and freshman Ty Duin left the game early in the second half because of a wrist injury.
Sophomore Brayden Day was limited to just eight minutes because of knee soreness. He did score eight points.
“We were down a lot of guys in the second half,” Altman said, “We played Brayden a little bit, but he was dealing with some soreness in that same knee he missed the first part of the season with. He was a big part of why we won last night, but he just too sore to go again tonight.”
Sophomore Jerome Kidd Jr. led Cloud County with 20 points. He was 6 of 13 from the field.
Alvin Thompson, a sophomore guard, finished with 12 points for the T-Birds.
Freshman Nysir Scott matched Day with eight points.
North Platte had four players score in double figures led by Tim Johnson and Edgars Kaufmanis with 14 points each.
Jakub Karwowski tossed in 13 points and De'May Jones added 10.
Cloud County will have six days off before facing the Knights again at 7 p.m. Friday in the Thanksgiving Classic it is hosting.
It will will be the first home game of the season for the T-Birds.
“It's a unique situation, but I think it gives us an opportunity to work on adjustments from the first game against the same opponent,” Altman said, “That will really become important to us when we get into KJCCC east play.”
Cloud County will play Iowa Western Community College at 4 p.m. on Saturday.
“We've brought in two teams in North Platte and Iowa Western that have won their regions and completed in the national tournament the last couple of years. They are both top quality teams,” Altman said, “We're excited to play at home, and hopefully we get some really good crowds, some families that came back to stay at grandma and grandpa's house for the holiday weekend and can come and check us out.”