Brady Kennison lays in a basket against Northeastern Junior College on Wednesday night. (Skylar Evans, North Platte Community College)
North Platte, Neb. – The North Platte men’s basketball team capitalized at the free throw line down the stretch to secure a 64-60 victory over Northeastern Junior College on Wednesday.
Brady Kennison led the Knights with 16 points, while Josh Osayanrhion contributed 15 points and eight rebounds in the win.
“Wasn’t the cleanest game for us offensively but we found a way to get it done,” said head coach Jacob Brandl. “Defensively thought we were really good!”
Northeastern opened the game on a 7-0 run, but North Platte answered quickly with seven straight points to even the score. The Plainsmen then put together another surge to take an eight-point lead before North Platte battled back as a pair of free throws by Joseph Badejo tied the game at 23-23 with 3:51 remaining. The teams traded baskets the rest of the way and went into halftime deadlocked at 28-28.
The Knights opened the second half on a 9-2 run and held the lead for much of the period. Northeastern tied the game for the first time in the half with just under nine minutes remaining, setting up a back-and-forth battle down the stretch. The score was tied again with 1:20 left before North Platte capitalized at the free-throw line, scoring five of the game’s final six points to seal the victory.
“It was disappointing to see us have 17 turnovers when we have been so good.” Brandl said. “Proud of effort and toughness to stick with it and make big plays in crucial situations.”
North Platte (13-8, 5-1 Region 9 South) continues Region 9 South play on Sunday against the Cougars of Western Nebraska Community College. Tipoff set for 4 p.m. at the Cougar Palace in Scottsbluff, Neb.
