Submitted

The 21st ranked NCMC men’s basketball team fell on the road 92–76 to 4th ranked Ellsworth Community College on Saturday despite strong individual performances from several Pirates. The road defeat was the sixth of the season for the team which now looks ahead to another stiff test, a Tuesday home game with 3rd ranked Johnson County CC. The Pirates will be looking to avenge an earlier season road defeat to the Cavaliers. Tipoff is set for 7:00pm at the Ketcham Community Center.

Camden Brown led NCMC with a game-high 23 points, shooting 8-of-19 from the field and a perfect 7-of-7 at the free-throw line. James Porter III added 21 points on an efficient 9-of-14 shooting while also pulling down seven rebounds. Deng Gak recorded a double-double with 12 points and a team-best 12 rebounds, anchoring the Pirates inside.

Grant Redd contributed across the stat sheet with eight points and three steals, while Kalen Streit chipped in seven points and two assists in a starting role due to All-American Camden Bennett’s ankle injury. Off the bench, Jon Jon Neff knocked down a three-pointer and dished out two assists.

As a team, the Pirates shot 44.6 percent from the floor and went 15-of-19 at the free-throw line, but Ellsworth’s shooting efficiency and perimeter scoring proved to be the difference. The Panthers featured five players scoring in double figures led by Tanner Berggren’s 19 points.