Story by Daniel Stinman Area Director of Marketing and Public Information
North Platte, Neb. – The North Platte Community College men’s basketball team saw their fifteen point lead erased in the second half, as the Trojans come from behind to defeat the Knights on Saturday afternoon, 85-75.
Knights hit their stride early on the offensive end in the first half, jumping out to an 11-4 advantage on a three by Jevarrick Butler. The Trojans answered with a 7-0 run to knot the game up with 13:32 to play in the first half.
The Knights answered with a 16-4 run over the next seven minutes to push their lead out to twelve. Trinidad State halted the Knights run momentarily with a basket in the paint, but the Knights would not be denied and went on a short 6-2 run to push their lead back to thirteen with four minutes to play, 32-19. North Platte continued to hit their stride on the offensive end outscoring the Trojans 9-7 over the remaining minutes of the first half, to take a fifteen point lead into the half, 41-26.
In the second half, the Trojans turned the table and used a 13-3 run to pull within one with 6:32 to play, 67-66. Trojans continued their offensive attack and took their first lead of the game just thirty seconds later, 68-67.
Trailing for the first time in the game, the Knights matched the Trojans basket for basket before regaining the lead as Dennis completed the old fashioned three play, 74-72. The Trojans reversed the momentum down the stretch and closed the game on a 13-1 run, to defeat the Knights on Saturday afternoon.
German Plotnikov led the Knights in scoring totaling 30 points on 10-of-17 shooting. Caleb Horne was the top rebounder for North Platte collecting ten rebounds in twenty-four minutes off the bench.
Knights (6-12) will round out their 2021 regular season schedule on Tuesday, March 30 against Western Nebraska Community College. Tip is set for 7:00 p.m. in Scottsbluff, Neb.