NORFOLK, Neb. – Three players for the Northeast Community College men’s basketball team totaled 15 or more points Tuesday night, but hot shooting from Iowa Lakes Community College was too much to overcome at the Cox Activities Center in Norfolk.
The Hawks (4-12, 0-6 ICCAC) were defeated 96-69 by the Lakers in the ICCAC contest.
Jared Lopez (Lincoln, Neb.) was everywhere on the floor for the Hawks as he stuffed the stat sheet with 17 points and seven rebounds. Evan Decker (Omaha, Neb.) also had 17 points of his own along with six rebounds. Saheed Sanusi (Nassau, Bahamas) tallied 16 additional points and five rebounds.
The Hawks were forced to play four guys extended minutes as Lopez, Decker, Sanusi and Jaden Strachan (Nassau Bahamas) all ended with 30 or more minutes of playing time.
Despite the lack of rest, the Hawks only trailed 39-29 at the halftime break, and they stayed with the Lakers step-for-step. A three-point shot from Strachan cut the Lakers lead to nine with 18:53 to play. Two free throws from Collin Storr (Nassau, Bahamas) with 17:17 left in the game left the Lakers lead at nine yet again, but that turned out to be the closest the Hawks would get.
The Hawks and Lakers both attempted 32 free throws in the matchup. The Hawks shot 68.8 percent from the charity stripe compared to a 50 percent-rate from the Lakers.
The Hawks hit the road at 5:30 p.m. tomorrow to take on Southwestern Community College in Creston, Iowa.
NORFOLK, Neb. – Ashley Hassett (Hershey, Neb.) recorded yet another double-double in a Tuesday night clash between the Northeast Community College women’s basketball team and Iowa Lakes Community College at the Cox Activities Center in Norfolk.
The Hawks (6-10, 3-3 ICCAC) fell 73-50 to the Lakers in the ICCAC matchup.
Hassett totaled 24 points, 15 rebounds and three steals. Autumn Dickmander (Brule, Neb.) contributed nine points and five rebounds. Jaydy Gonzalez (Denver, Colo.) pitched in eight points and two steals off the bench.
A short-handed Hawks team trailed 35-17 at halftime, and 52-30 at the end of the third quarter. With 6:19 remaining in the fourth quarter the Hawks made a brief run at the lead after two free throws, a steal and a made layup from Hassett. Gonzalez put in an old-fashioned three-point play with 5:06 to play, but it ultimately wasn’t enough.
The Hawks were able to reach the free-throw line 21 times during the contest, which was a whopping 16 more times than the Lakers. The Hawks also led the second chance points category with nine compared to six from the Lakers.
The Hawks start the first of a two-game road trip at 5:30 p.m. Thursday against Southwestern Community College in Creston, Iowa.
