Finding themselves back in the win column to start 2026, and breaking a six-game losing streak, the Cloud County men’s basketball team defeated Pratt 95-73 at home.
After Pratt scored the opening basket, Syncere Burnette tied the game with a layup, and a D’Ontez Walker jumper on the following possession gave the T-Birds the lead, which they’d never relinquish. Both teams fought for control of the lead for the six minutes of the game, with the T-birds holding onto a slim lead before a 15-1 run put the T-Birds up 32-13 halfway through the first half.
The T-Birds held a 20-point lead with 9:19 left to go in the first; the Beavers would try to chip away at the lead but couldn’t get the lead under 14. After Pratt made it a 42-28 game with 4:35 to go, the T-Birds closed the first half with a 15-5 run to lead 57-33 at halftime.
Both teams started the second half strong, with Cloud narrowly outscoring the Beavers 11-7 in the first six minutes of the second half. The T-Birds created more ground after, expanding their lead to 36, 78-44, with a 13-2 run, to effectively put the game away halfway through the second half. Both teams started to put their reserves in for the final 10 minutes, with the T-Birds taking the 96-73 win in the strongest showing of the season.
Burnette led in scoring with 16 points and had seven steals and seven assists, both season highs.
Kuel Akot had 14 points, 12 of which came from behind the arc.
DJ Holloway had 11 points, six rebounds, three assists, two steals and a block.
Walker had 11 points and two rebounds.
Elidjah Savane had 11 points, five rebounds, two assists, two blocks and two steals.
Samuel Akot had nine points, nine rebounds, and a season (and team) high four blocks.
