Let March Madness begin post-season basketball.
It all begins this weekend when the Western Nebraska Community College men’s basketball team opens the first-round of the Region IX tournament with a home play-off contest on Saturday at 3 p.m. when McCook Community College comes to Cougar Palace.
The winner will advance to a quarterfinal game on March 13 in Gillette, Wyoming for the 3-day, 8-team tournament.
Elijah Burney, one of three sophomores on the Cougar team, said this team has the potential to do well if they play their game.
“Our main focus will be playing our brand of basketball which is playing fast in transition and taking good, smart shots within our offense,” Burney said. “Most importantly, playing defense will be our identity going forward.”
WNCC’s March Madness started March 1 when they played their last regular season game at Northeastern Junior College and the Cougars lost 111-100 in a game that could have given the Cougars a first-round bye and the South Sub-region championship. Instead, WNCC has to settle for the No. 2 seed and a match-up with McCook Community College.
                WNCC head coach Roybell Baez said to win at the regional tournament, it comes down to one thing – defense.
                “The keys to winning on Saturday are simple, we need to defend, rebound, and play with a lot of tempo,” he said. “We must also take care of the ball and play team basketball. In order for us to go on a run, we must lock into complete team basketball on offense and defense. Oh, and can’t forget, a little bit of luck.”
WNCC enters with a 12-16 record while McCook is 12-17. WNCC finished the sub-region at 7-5 while McCook went 2-9 in the sub-region. But, in post-season play, everyone is 0-0 as records mean very little.
The two teams faced each other twice this season  when the Cougars defeated McCook at McCook 102-83 and then on Feb. 21, WNCC topped McCook 84-78.
“McCook is a really talented team,” Baez said. “They have guards who can go for 20-plus on any given night. They’re also a lot bigger than us so rebounding will be a big factor.”
WNCC had four players averaging in double figures led by sophomore Elijah Hollins at 18.1 points a contest followed by sophomore Mathiang Maker at 17.4 points a contest. Burney, the other sophomore, is averaging 10.4 points a contest. Kellon Harris is the fourth player in double figures. The red-shirt freshman is averaging 14.2 points a contest.
For McCook, they two have four players averaging in double figures, led by Madison Peaster at 15.8 points and Nate Coley at 15.4. Norris Bourne, Jr. is averaging 13.5 and Louie Tucker is at 11 points.
Burney said in the third meeting between the two Nebraska junior colleges, the task is simple, stay focused.
“We need to keep our heads focused on the task at hand and take it one play at a time,” Burney said. “It will take playing Western Nebraska basketball and not getting to high and not getting to low. Basketball is a game of runs and we must know that.”
If WNCC wins, they would advance to face the winner of the Laramie County and Western Wyoming game on March 13 in the quarterfinals. If McCook should win, they were be reseeded and their opponent would be known on Monday.
But, Burney and Baez is hoping to keep playing and to win the regional tournament, it will take discipline because tournament time is a totally different level of play.
“Defense is extremely important and this time of the year the game slows down and half-court defense is really important,” Baez said.
So, don’t count out the Cougars. The last time the Cougars won a Region IX title was in 2018 and Baez was an assistant coach for WNCC. Baez knows what it takes to win in this tournament.
“Offensively it’s been a good year in conference but there is another level we have yet to reach,” Baez said. “We’re good in transition, in the half-court is another level we have yet to reach. We’re good in transition, in the half-court we have to improve if we want to win the tournament. The game slows down in March so half court offense is as important as half-court defense.”
WNCC and McCook is just one of six first-round games that will be played on Saturday. The other South first-round games will No. 5 Otero traveling to No. 3 North Platte and No. 6 Northeastern at No. 4 Lamar. The Cougars are the No. 2 seed while McCook is No. 1.
The North first-round games on Saturday will have No. 6 Central Wyoming taking on No. 3 Northwest College; No. 5 Laramie County traveling to Western Wyoming, and No. 7 Eastern Wyoming meeting No. 2 Casper College.
Trinidad State earned a first-round bye from the South because they won the conference. Gillette earns the North first-round bye for winning their sub-region. Gillette will host the regional tournament March 13-15 with the winner qualifying for the national tournament in Hutchinson, Kansas.