LAJUNTA, Colo. – The Western Nebraska Community College women’s basketball scored 31 fourth-quarter points to come back to down Otero College 85-76 in a South Sub-region contest Saturday afternoon in LaJunta, Colorado.
The win keeps the Cougars undefeated in the conference race at 5-0 and moves them to 15-6 overall. WNCC is the only unbeaten team in either the South or North Sub-region.
The Cougars look to stay perfect when they travel to McCook Community College on Wednesday. McCook is 4-1 in the conference and 10-10- overall. After that, the Cougars return home for a Sunday, February 1 contest against North Platte Community College in another conference tilt.
WNCC shot 37 percent from the field in the win and connected on 10 3-pointers. Otero, who WNCC head coach Ryan Davis said was much better than their record, was 39 percent from the field and made just five 3-pointers.
Ella Chesta-Carty led the Cougars with 29 points, including six 3-pointers. Veralyn Aviles tallied 19 points on a perfect 9-for-9 from the free throw line. Zozefine Sipolina also had double digits with 13 points and three 3-pointers.
Saturday’s game with Otero was a mixed bag for the Cougars. WNCC started the contest well in the first quarter as they built an 18-6 lead and led 24-15 after the first 10 minutes.
The second quarter was an offense show as the two teams combined for 45 points. Otero won the quarter 25-20 and it all started as the Rattlers scored the first seven points of the quarter. Sipolina stopped the run with a trey. WNCC led 33-29 on a Chesta-Carty 3-pointer. That was when Otero scored the next six points to take their first lead of the game at 35-33 with 3:30 to play in the half.
WNCC closed out the half on a 11-5 run that saw the Cougars score the final four points of the quarter on buckets by Aniaya Burton-Hernandez and Chesta-Carty for the 44-40 halftime lead.
The third quarter saw the Cougars shooting percentage take a dive as the Rattlers outscored WNCC 24-10 to lead 64-54. WNCC led early in the quarter at 46-42. That was when Otero went on a 11-0 run that saw them lead 53-46. WNCC came back with an 8-2 run to trail 55-54 on 3-pointers by Sipolina and Juseana-Rae Delatori. Otero closed out the third on a 9-0 run.
The fourth quarter saw the two teams exchange buckets for the first two minutes or so as Otero led 70-59. WNCC started a comeback, going on a 16-0 run over the next five minutes to grab a 75-70 lead. Chesta-Carty buried two 3-pointers during that run. Otero topped the run with just over a minute to play to make it 75-72, but Chesta-Carty hit back-to-back 3-pointers for an 81-74 lead with just under a minute to play. Aviles and Chesta-Carty sealed the win with clutch free throws in the final 30 seconds.

WNCC (15-6) 24 20 10 31 – 85
Otero (3-15) 15 25 24 12 – 76
WNCC
Ella Chesta-Carty 29, Veralyn Aviles 19, Zozefine Sipolina 13, Charisma Johnson 8, Aniaya Burton-Hernandez 7, Juseana-Rae Delatori 5, Celina Donyo 4.
OTERO
Kaelani Albert-Nena 22, Itxasne Fernandez Arguello 19, Karsyn Shanan 12, Candela Roy Ibalbarriaga 10, Dayshanay Bruner 5, Brooklyn Kalser 4, Haley Lang 4.

WNCC men fall to Otero in another close contest

LAJUNTA, Colo. – The Western Nebraska Community College men’s basketball team almost pulled off a last-second win Saturday afternoon against Otero College.
The Cougars, who trailed by 11 points with a little over five minutes to play, came roaring back in going on a 14-5 run to make it a 2-point contest with 47.9 seconds to play. In the end, Otero hit a couple clutch free throws to earn the 84-82 South Sub-region win.
WNCC, falls to 1-4 in the South Conference while Otero goes to 1-3. The Cougars will have a key South Sub-region contest Wednesday at McCook Community College before returning home to face North Platte Community College on Sunday, February 1.
Saturday’s contest was one where the Cougars allowed Otero a couple mini runs to get back into the game.
WNCC started out strong as they built a 28-20 lead in the first half on a Noah Jones 3-pointer. Otero came back to grab a 38-32 lead on three 3-pointers. The Cougars went on a mini-run of their own as Melchi Egbeyemi scored eight straight points for a 40-38 lead. Otero scored the final five points of the half for the 43-40 halftime lead.
The second half was a “let’s trade baskets” early show as the two teams were knotted three times. Otero took a 9-point lead with 12 minutes to play on a banked 3-pointer. WNCC battled back to make it a 65-61 lead on five points from Viktor Lukic-Gavric. That was when Otero went on an 11-4 run to lead 76-65.
Otero led 81-73 with three minutes to play. That was when the Cougars kicked it into high gear and went on a 6-0 run to make it an 81-79 contest with 47.9 seconds to play. Otero hit one free throw for a 3-point lead. WNCC had a couple chances to tie the game, but turned the ball over with 14.1 seconds to play. Otero made one free throw and then WNCC missed a 3-pointer with six seconds to play. Otero hit a free throw with 3.7 seconds for an 84-79 lead. Lukic-Gavric buried a just-inside-the-halfcourt-line” just before the buzzer to make it an 84-82 score.
WNCC shot 41 percent from the field while Otero was 50 percent. WNCC connected on just 28 percent of their 3-pointers (10-of-36) while Otero was 46 percent with 12 made triples.
WNCC finished with four players in double figures and another three that had nine points. Egbeyemi tallied 15 points followed by 12 points each from Lukic-Gavric and Toms Linis. Xavier Kirkpatrick had 10 points. Noah Jones, Kellon Harris, and Amare Jackson all had nine points.

WNCC (5-15) 40 42 – 82
Otero (2-16) 43 41 – 84
WNCC
Melchi Egbeyemi 15, Viktor Lukic-Gavric 12, Toms Linis 12, Xavier Kirkpatrick 10, Noah Jones 9, Kellon Harris 9, Amare Jackson 9, Isaiah St. Preux 5, Dorin Nguema 1.
OTERO
Marquise Allen 18, Kaylan Graham 16, Bertran Walthour 12, Nedum Chladika 10, Jayson Lewis 7, Sam Webb 6, Tamir Anderson 6, Jye Barlow 4, Cole Corner 3, Lukas Glasgow 2.