Story by Daniel Stinman Area Director of Marketing and Public Information
Lamar, Colo. – The North Platte Community College men’s basketball team could not hold off the Runnin’ Lopes in the second half. As Lamar Community College defeated the Knights on Tuesday night, 65-58.
The seven-day layoff did not seem to affect the Knights as they quickly jumped out to a 13-4 lead in the opening minutes of action. Knights extended their lead to fifteen as Jason Eubank stole the ball and laid it off the glass in transition, 17-4.
The Runnin’ Lopes rebounded and cut the deficit to ten inside ten minutes to play in the first half. Slavomyr Marchenko and German Plotnikov pushed the Knights lead back to fourteen as the Knights collected buckets on back-to-back offensive possessions, 26-12.
Knights kept their lead at double digits as the teams traded baskets over the next couple of minutes. Eubank pushed the Knights lead to seventeen on a step back three point shot in the final minutes of the opening half, 38-21. The Runnin’ Lopes added basket in the closing seconds to trim the deficit down to fifteen at the break, 38-23.
Out of the break, the Runnin’ Lopes trimmed the deficit down to seven in the first six minutes of the second half, 38-31. German Plotnikov ended the dry spell for the Knights as he connected on a pair of free throws, to push the lead back to nine. Lamar slowly cut into the deficit over the next four minutes cutting the Knights lead to four with 7:25 to play.
The Runnin’ Lopes outscored the Knights 20-9 over the final seven minutes, to take their first lead of the game and to steal the win away from the Knights.
The Knights had three scorers in double digits including Plotnikov (15), Eubank (14), and Jevarrick Butler (12). Danilo Matovic led the Knights on the glass with seven rebounds.
Knights (4-10) will continue their two-game road trip on Saturday, March 20 as they travel to Beatrice, Neb. to take on the Storm of Southeast Community College. Tip is set for 4 p.m. at the Truman Center Gymnasium.