North Central Missouri College went on the road Tuesday and delivered an impressive performance, securing a commanding victory 98-74 over Illinois Valley CC. The #1 ranked Pirates shot an impressive 60.6% from the field and showcased their efficiency at the free-throw line, hitting all 10 of their attempts to remain perfect on the season (17-0). Their next test will be a road matchup on Saturday with Region 16 foe Metropolitan CC. This will be each team's region opener.
Tyler King led the way with a standout game, pouring in 26 points on 11-for-18 shooting, including a perfect 3-for-3 from the free-throw line. King was active on the glass with six rebounds, while his defensive presence yielded three steals, highlighting his impact on both ends of the court. Jon Carroll was another key contributor, tallying 22 points with remarkable efficiency, shooting 9-for-13 from the field and a flawless 4-for-4 from the charity stripe. Carroll also dominated the boards, pulling down a game-high eight rebounds.
Giovanni Mack orchestrated the offense masterfully, scoring 19 points on an incredible 7-for-9 shooting performance, including four three-pointers on five attempts. Mack showcased his playmaking abilities with nine assists while chipping in six rebounds and two steals, embodying the team's unselfish approach.
Camden Bennett provided a significant scoring punch with 17 points, demonstrating his sharpshooting skills by connecting on three of his six attempts from beyond the arc. Joe Clark played a key role in facilitating the offense, recording four assists while contributing four rebounds and two points.
The reserves offered valuable support, with Tyler Meinecke going a perfect 2-for-2 from the field for four points and Mikey Thomas dishing out three assists in limited minutes. Za'Corrie Kerr and Deng Gak chipped in two points apiece, with Gak adding three rebounds to his stat line.
Defensively, the team was active, accumulating nine steals and four blocks, forcing turnovers and disrupting the opposing offense. Despite some turnovers of their own, North Central Missouri College's cohesive effort, both offensively and defensively, resulted in a dominant and well-rounded performance, capped off by a remarkable 98-point outing.