TRINIDAD, Colo. – Zozefine Sipolina scored 26 points and the Western Nebraska Community College women’s basketball remained unbeaten in the South Sub-region with a 71-64 win over Trinidad State College Friday evening in Trinidad, Colorado.
The win moves the Cougars to 14-6 overall and 4-0 in the South conference. WNCC sets a top the South conference with McCook Community College. Lamar Community College, and Otero College all in second with one conference defeat.
WNCC will look to stay atop the standings when they travel to Otero on Saturday for an afternoon contest in LaJunta, Colorado.
Saturday was a game that the Cougars struggled shooting, hitting just 28 percent of their shots and connecting on just 25 percent of their 3-point shots, making just 7 triples.
Trinidad State shot 37 percent and made 10 3-pointers.
WNCC won the game from the free throw line where the Cougars were 28-of-40 from the charity stripe compared to just 4-of-8 for the Trojans.
The Cougars trailed after one period 15-9. Trinidad built a 21-13 lead early in the second quarter. That was when the Cougars woke up, outscoring Trinidad 20-5 the rest of the half. WNCC went on a 9-0 run that saw all nine points from Sipolina as she put the Cougars in front with 4:55 to play with two free throws.
Trinidad retook the lead twice, the last time at 26-24. WNCC closed out the half in not allowing Trinidad a bucket in the final three minutes while scoring nine points of their own. WNCC led 33-26 at halftime.
The third quarter was a back and forth contest with both teams exchanging buckets. Trinidad tied the game at 46-46 but the Cougars scored the final four points for the 50-46 lead after three periods.
The final quarter saw WNCC outscore the Trojans 21-18, but trailed twice in the final 10 minutes, the final time at 58-57. That was when WNCC went on a 6-0 run that saw Ella Chesta-Carty bury a three and then Juseana-Rae Delatori make three of four free throws for a 63-58 lead. WNCC went on to win 71-64.
Sipolina had 26 points to lead all scorers followed by Chesta-Carty with 18 and Celina Donyo with 12.

WNCC (14-6) 9 14 17 21 – 71
Trinidad 15 11 20 18 – 64
WNCC
Zozefine Sipolina 26, Ella Chesta-Carty 18, Celina Donyo 12, Charisma Johnson 6, Juseana-Rae Delatori 5, Veralyn Aviles 2, Aniaya Burton-Hernandez 2.
TRINIDAD
Blanca Oranias Ramon 14, Alesa Cantoria 11, Sofia Moran Servian 11, Gabby O’Hara 9, Aliyah Olawoyin 8, Ainna Lopez Cuco 5, Allie Bishop 4, Yasmin Santana Dias 2.

WNCC men never trail in win over Trinidad

TRINIDAD, Colo. – The Western Nebraska Community College men’s basketball never trailed in the South Sub-region contest with Trinidad State College as the Cougars captured the 96-88 win Friday evening in Trinidad, Colorado.
WNCC snapped a 4-game losing streak in capturing the win. The Cougars will continue the road trip with a Saturday afternoon contest against Otero College in LaJunta, Colorado.
WNCC, in the win, saw all 10 players that saw action score in the game with four in double figures, led by 20 points apiece from Kellon Harris and Xavier Kirkpatrick. Also notching double digits were Isaiah St. Preux with 14 points and Viktor Lukic-Gavric with 12 points.
WNCC started strong, running to a 12-0 lead and holding Trinidad scoreless for the first five minutes of the contest. WNCC continued excelling, leading 21-3 after Xavier Kirkpatrick buried two 3-pointers and Isaiah St. Preux sandwiched a triple in between Kirkpatrick’s two treys.
WNCC led 25-7 when the Trojans got hot, going on a 17-2 run to make it a 3-point game on four straight 3-pointers at 27-24. WNCC stopped the streak as Kirkpatrick hit for five points and the Cougars outscored Trinidad 14-5 to lead 41-29. Trinidad score six straight to make it a 6-point game, 41-35, but the Cougars closed out the half on an 8-6 run to lead 49-41 at the break.
WNCC opened the second half just like they did in the first, sizzling hot as they went on an 11-3 run to lead 59-44. Trinidad tried coming back, as they trailed by seven at 73-66 with 8:50 to play. The Trojans continued fighting back, getting to within five points at 76- 71. The Cougars stopped the rally with a bucket with 6:46 to play.
Trinidad made it a 3-point game at 78-75 with 6:25 to play. It was 80-77 when Lukic-Gavric buried the Cougars first 3-pointer of the second half. That was the start of a 12-0 run that saw Lukic-Gavric score eight straight points, capped off with a 4-point play. Harris finished off the run with back-to-back and the Cougars led 92-77 with about three minutes to play.
The final three minutes got iffy when Trinidad went on a 11-0 run and trailed 92-88 with 34 seconds to play. Trinidad wouldn’t get any closer as St. Preux nailed two free throws and Harris would get a steal and dunk for the final 96-88.
WNCC shot 53 percent from the field and were 17-of-20 from the charity stripe. The Cougars also buried 11 3-pointers. Trinidad, on the other hand, shot 48 percent and buried 16 3-pointers.
Trinidad’s Dylan Omweno led all scorers in the contest with 34 points, including nine 3-pointers. The 34 points given up is 14th in the WNCC record book for most points given up to an opposing player. The last time someone scored 34 points or more in a game against WNCC was 1999.

WNCC 49 47 – 96
Trinidad 41 47 – 88
WNCC
Kellon Harris 20, Xavier Kirkpatrick 20, Isaiah St. Preux 14, Viktor Lukic-Gavric 12, Toms Linis 9, Noah Jones 6, Dorin Nguema 6, Melchi Egbeyemi 4, Amare Jackson 3, Witold Czerenkiewicz 2.
TRINIDAD
Dylan Omweno 34, Demorae Pritchett 17, Damarius Taylor 14, Donavahan Cain 6, Nnamdi Ubawike 5, Maurice Thomas 5, Kenny Black-Know 5, Logan Montgomery 2.