Jada Grigsby led the Knights with 11 points and seven rebounds, but it wasn't enough to cool off the perimeter shooting of Otero Junior College, as North Platte fell 84-53 to the Rattlers on Thursday afternoon.
North Platte connected on 25 percent (13-52) of their shots from the field, including 23-of-28 (.821) from the free throw line. The Rattlers outrebounded the Knights, 49-32, while pulling down 26 offensive rebounds.
North Platte trailed by 14 at the break, but the Rattlers managed to extend their lead to 65-39 by the end of the quarter, while holding the Knights to just three field goals. During the ten-minute stretch the Knights earned five trips to the free throw line, although connecting on 7-of-10 of their opportunities it wasn't enough to close the gap on the home team.
Dayonna Roberts broke the silence with a three pointer at the 7:26 mark of the fourth quarter. Knights continued running through their offense in the fourth, but Otero built a strong lead that could not be overcome.
Reece Halley finished with 10 points and six rebounds, while Roberts closed out the game with nine points on 2-of-4 shooting.
After falling behind 13-2 early, the Knights rebounded to go on a 7-1 run to pull back within five at the end of the first quarter. Grigsby led the way in the final minutes, as the Knights defense limited opportunities for the Rattlers.
The Otero lead was in jeopardy early in the second quarter, as the Knights again launched a 6-2 run to pull within one on a turnaround jumper by Halley. North Platte couldn't mount the momentum down the stretch of the quarter, as Otero built a 14-point lead at the halftime break.
The Knights return for the second day of the Otero Classic on Friday against Trinidad State College. Tip between the Knights and Trojans is set for 6 p.m. in La Junta, Colo.