CHEYENNE, Wyo. – Zozefine Sipolina finished with 24 points, including a big 3-pointer in overtime as the Western Nebraska Community College women’s basketball team topped Laramie County Community College 74-70 in overtime to wrap up the LCCC Thanksgiving Classic Saturday.
The win was the Cougars third straight and the third overtime game in five games. WNCC moves to 7-4 on the season and will next be in action this weekend at the 3-day Gillette Classic where they will face Dawson, Colorado Northwestern, and College of Southern Idaho.
Saturday’s win was one where there were 18 lead changes. WNCC took the lead for good with 2:29 to play in the fourth quarter and had just the tie to force overtime.
WNCC shot 48 percent from the field and buried just eight 3-pointers. LCCC 47 percent from the field and made 8 3-pointers.
All nine players that played scored in the contest with three in double digits. Sipolina led with 24 points with four 3-pointers followed by Celina Donyo with 16 points and nine rebounds. Veralyn Aviles had 10 points in the win.
WNCC started off well, leading 17-12 in the first quarter. LCCC closed out the first 10 minutes with a 6-0 run, including hitting a 3-pointer with four seconds left in the opening quarter to lead 18-17.
The second quarter was back and forth as WNCC retook the lead at 20-18 on a Donyo bucket. LCCC jumped in front by six on three different occasions, the last time at 31-25. WNCC trailed at halftime 33-30.
LCCC led early in the third quarter on another 3-pointer. WNCC came back with a 7-0 run that included a triple from Sipolina for a 39-36 lead. The lead see-sawed between the two teams the rest of the third quarter with LCCC leading 49-47 after three periods.
The fourth quarter saw WNCC take a 53-51 lead on a Brynn Sybrant bucket. LCCC retook the lead at 54-53. The Cougars answered as Sipolina hit a bucket and Ruth Lively buried two free throws for a 57-54 lead.
LCCC went back in front at 60-59 on two triples. WNCC went ahead with 2:29 to play on two Donyo free throws followed by Sipolina burying a 3-pointer as the shot clock was about to expire for a 64-60 lead with 1:45 to play. Things became intense in the last minute as LCCC tied the game with 11.8 seconds on two free throws. WNCC had a chance for a last shot but missed. LCCC got the ball and a 3-pointer was way off, but the tip in was good, but it was released from the hands after the buzzer to force overtime.
In the extra five minutes, Donyo scored first for the Cougars and then Charisma Johnson scored for a 68-64 lead. WNCC went up 70-66 on a Juseana-Rae Delatori bucket. LCCC made it a 70-67 game. With 21.7 seconds to play, Sipolina buried a big WNBA-range 3-pointer as the shot clock was winding down for a 73-67 lead.
LCCC hit a 3-pointer with 17.7 seconds to make it a 73-70 game. Delatori was then fouled with 16 seconds and made one of two free throws for the 4-point lead and the win.

WNCC 17 13 17 17 10 – 74
LCCC 18 15 16 15 6 – 70
WNCC
Juseana-Rae Delatori 3, Celina Donyo 16, Veralyn Aviles 10, Charisma Johnson 6, Zosefine Sipolina 24, Dunja Stojanovic 6, Ruth Lively 5, Aniaya Burton-Hernandez 2, Brynn Sybrant 2.