The North Central Missouri College men’s basketball team, by most accounts, played a solid first-half on Tuesday night in Iowa Falls, Iowa against the host Ellsworth Panthers. However, a slump over the final 3 minutes of the half, combined with a flurry of three-point shots hit by Panther guard Anthony Eddy, left Jeremy Esry’s team in a 45-36 hole heading to the locker room.
In the second half, the Pirates found consistency on both the offensive end, and with a suffocating defensive effort, roaring out of the gates with a 9-0 run to re-tie the game, then storming past ECC for a 84-75 victory, broadcast on Hot Country Z 101.7.
Atavian Butler, the talented North Central freshman from St. Louis, continues to blossom in the sixth-man role for the Pirates, leading NCMC with 22 points in the road win. Marty Jackson had 15 (13 after halftime), with Jeramy Shaw 13, and Damien Loyd 12 points. The win improves the Pirates to a perfect 3-0 mark on the season, dropping ECC to 2-1.
The Panthers had a game-high 25 point night from point guard Adam Jackson, with 20 from Eddy, and 11 points from forward Josh Donaldson.
The Lady Pirates dominated Tuesday night’s opener in Iowa Falls, ripping a winless Ellsworth squad to the tune of 72-43. North Central’s women got the early advantage going into the post to freshman center Kennedie Kieffer, who scored all seven of her points in the opening 10 minutes for Head Coach Jenni Croy:
Kortlyn Rounkles had 19 points and Lily Osborn to lead the 2-1 Lady Pirates. NCMC had 11 players in the scoring column in the road win, with Coach Croy enjoying the benefits, but challenges, of having a balanced and deep roster for 2019-2020:
Ellsworth was led by Keara Williams with 13 points and Bailey Stroud with 12.
This weekend, the Lady Pirates and Pirates host the North Central Missouri College Classic at the Ketcham Community Center, with the Lady Pirates hosting the Graceland JV on Friday afternoon at 4 o’clock, with the Pirate men hosting the Yellowjacket junior varsity at 8.
On Saturday, in games to be heard on Hot Country Z 101.7, the Lady Pirates take on Livin’ the Dream at 1 o’clock, with the Pirate men taking on 7th-ranked Parkland College at 3 o’clock.
