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Eighth ranked NCMC men’s basketball split a pair of games in the Great Western Classic hosted by Iowa Central Community College. In Friday’s matchup with the host, they came out on the short end of a 84-78 final score. Saturday, NCMC earned their first win of the season with a 92-83 victory over Central Community College. Next up will be a road test at Spoon River College on Tuesday.

Iowa Central CC 84, NCMC 78

NCMC went toe-to-toe with a strong Iowa Central squad Friday night, falling 84-78 in a hard-fought matchup that featured several standout performances from the Pirates.

Sophomore Camden Bennett continued his hot start to the season, leading NCMC with 26 points on 11-of-20 shooting while adding eight rebounds and two assists. Bennett was efficient throughout, attacking the rim and finishing through contact to keep the Pirates within striking distance.

Forward Deng Gak turned in a dominant double-double, finishing with 24 points and 16 rebounds while shooting 8-of-14 from the floor and 7-of-8 from the free-throw line. Gak also contributed three blocks and two assists, anchoring the Pirates on both ends of the floor.

Camden Brown battled inside for eight points and eight rebounds, showing toughness on the glass, while James Porter III added 11 points and three boards. Freshman guard Kalen Streit provided a spark off the bench, hitting a three-pointer and tallying four points and a steal in 27 minutes of action.

As a team, the Pirates shot 40.6% from the field and connected on 18-of-25 free throws (72%), outrebounding Iowa Central 43-35. Despite the effort, Iowa Central’s balanced scoring and late free throws secured the win on their home floor.

NCMC 92, Central CC 83

The Pirates picked up a strong win Saturday afternoon, defeating Central Community College 92-81 behind an efficient shooting display.

Sophomore guard Camden Bennett led the Pirates with 25 points, hitting two three-pointers and going a perfect 11-for-11 from the free-throw line. His steady scoring throughout the contest helped NCMC maintain control in the second half.

Camden Brown added 16 points, attacking the basket and knocking down 7-of-8 from the foul line while pulling in four rebounds.

In the frontcourt, James Porter III delivered an impressive double-double, finishing with 15 points and 12 rebounds, including seven on the offensive glass. His energy inside proved key as NCMC out-rebounded Central 36-23.

Freshman forward Deng Gak continued his efficient start to the season with 13 points, nine rebounds, and three assists on 4-of-6 shooting from the floor.

The Pirates also got important contributions off the bench. Kalen Streit provided a spark with nine points, all coming from beyond the arc, while Za’Corrie Kerr was perfect from the field and the line, scoring eight points in just 13 minutes.

Grant Redd filled the stat sheet with six points, five assists, and four steals, helping the Pirates control the tempo and turn defense into offense.

As a team, North Central shot an efficient 50.9% from the field and 93.1% from the free-throw line (27-of-29) while recording 11 assists and only 17 fouls.