Story by Daniel Stinman Area Director of Marketing and Public Information
La Junta, Colo. – The North Platte Community College men’s basketball team had their final run fall short as the Rattlers of Otero Junior College earned the victory on Saturday afternoon, 79-75.
Knights jumped out to an early 4-3 advantage in the opening 3:14 of action. The Rattlers responded going on a 6-2 run over the next two minutes to take their first lead of the game, 9-8.
German Plotnikov responded for the Knights at the free throw line getting both to fall to reclaim the lead with 15:16 to play in the first half, 10-9. Knights pushed their lead back to three as Danilo Matovic rattled one through with 11:16 remaining in the half, 16-13.
Rattlers responded going on a 12-2 run over the next three minutes to retake the lead and push the deficit to six, 25-18. Knights offense hit their mark over the next three minutes and cut the deficit to three as Jason Eubank connected from downtown, 29-26.
The Knights continued their run as Trevon Dennis tied the game on an open three pointer and Eubank pushed the Knights lead back to four with 3:15 to play, 34-30. The Knights held off the Rattlers for the remainder of the half and took a 39-37 lead into the break.
In the second half, the Knights opened up a four-point advantage in the opening seconds, before the Rattlers 4-0 spurt tied the game back up at 41-41 with 17:42 to play. Knights regained a three-point advantage as Timur Krupalija banged off a few defenders before laying it in, 49-46.
The momentum switched hands over the next six minutes as the Rattlers went on a 14-2 run to retake the lead and stretch their advantage to 60-51 with 8:28 to play. The Knights trimmed the deficit down to four with 3:05 to play as Nahum Pasteurin found a hole in the defense and got his runner to fall over the outstretched hands of two defenders, 66-62.
Inside a minute to play, the Knights cut the deficit to two as Eubank was fouled attacking the basket and had to earn the free points at the foul line, 75-73. The Rattlers responded in transition and pushed their lead to four as the clock ran out on the Knights comeback.
The Knights finished the game with five players in double digits including Eubank (18), Plotnikov (14), Matovic (11), Dennis (10), and Pasteurin (10). Dennis led the Knights on the glass with eight rebounds on the afternoon.
Knights (2-8) will travel to McCook, Neb. on Tuesday, March 2 for a matchup with the Indians of McCook Community College. Tip-off is set for 7:00 p.m. inside the Peter & Dolores Graff Events Center.