In a hard-fought battle, the 12th ranked NCMC Lady Pirates came up just short in their season opener, falling on the road to Highland Community College - Kansas by a score of 64-61. Despite a balanced team effort, NCMC's offensive push wasn't quite enough to overcome Highland's strong finish and impressive free-throw shooting.
Gladys Brown led the scoring charge for NCMC, showcasing her versatility with 19 points on an efficient 5-for-8 shooting, including 2-for-3 from beyond the arc. Her aggressive drives to the basket earned her 12 free-throw attempts, of which she converted 7. Brown was also active defensively, contributing 3 steals and 2 assists, which helped keep the game close.
Jessica Reeter also made a significant impact, scoring 11 points, hitting 2-for-6 on three-point attempts, and going 3-for-4 from the free-throw line. Reeter was active on the boards, pulling down 4 rebounds, but struggled with turnovers, committing 6, which hindered NCMC's momentum.
Abbi Fountain provided efficient scoring off 4-for-6 shooting, finishing with 9 points. Her ability to find open looks inside was crucial for keeping NCMC in the game. Jacie Morris added 8 points and was the team's leading rebounder with 7 boards, showing her physical presence in the paint and on the defensive end.
The reserves contributed solid minutes, with Oliviya Tinoco making her presence felt on both ends, collecting 6 rebounds, scoring 3 points, and recording 3 steals. Kayanna Cranmer and Honor Mannings chipped in as well, though scoring opportunities were limited.
As a team, NCMC shot 38.9% from the field and 30% from three point land. Their free-throw shooting proved costly, converting just 52% (13 of 25). In contrast, Highland shot an impressive 80% from the line (20 of 25), a key factor in their victory. Highland's Cameron McNamara led all scorers with 24 points and 9 rebounds, while Madison Brittle contributed on both ends with 8 points, 4 steals, and 3 assists.
Next up will be a home matchup with Iowa Western CC on Friday. Tipoff is set for 7:30pm and is part of the NCMC Classic.