In a matchup of ranked foes, 16th ranked North Central Missouri College fell on the road to undefeated and 2nd ranked Johnson County CC 71-51 on Thursday night. With the loss, the Lady Pirates are now 10-7 with their next action coming on Saturday when they host Southeast CC in the White Out game. Tipoff is set for 1:00pm.
From the opening whistle, North Central Missouri relied on a balanced attack led by their starters. Oliviya Tinoco showcased her rebounding dominance, pulling down a team-high 11 boards while contributing 9 points on 4-of-8 shooting. Her efforts helped keep the game competitive in the paint. Jacie Morris was efficient, scoring 9 points on 4-of-5 shooting and grabbing 9 rebounds, consistently battling for position under the basket.
A'Myah Bankston and Gladys Brown struggled with shooting but chipped in valuable contributions elsewhere. Bankston added 7 points and a steal, while Brown contributed 7 points, 6 rebounds, and 2 assists. Jessica Reeter added 6 points and 4 rebounds, but turnovers and missed opportunities hindered the team's offensive flow.
Off the bench, Kayanna Cranmer provided a spark with 7 points in just 19 minutes, including a key three-pointer to cut into Johnson County's lead in the second half. Honor Mannings fought through a tough shooting night to score 6 points, drawing fouls and going 4-for-8 from the line.
Despite their best efforts, North Central Missouri struggled to capitalize on scoring opportunities, shooting 32.1% from the field and 23.1% from beyond the arc. The team's free-throw shooting, at 52.2%, also left points off the board.
Johnson County leveraged their depth and rebounding to take control. Layla Scott led all scorers with 21 points, including four three-pointers, while Aa'Mya Stacker delivered a double-double with 11 points and 11 rebounds. The duo of Tamia Smith and Jamya McPherson added 7 and 9 points, respectively, while combining for 11 rebounds, ensuring Johnson County dominated the boards with a 54-36 rebounding advantage.
North Central Missouri fought valiantly but couldn't overcome Johnson County's defensive intensity and efficient shooting. The game highlighted the NCMC's resilience and flashes of individual brilliance, leaving them with valuable lessons to build upon in future matchups.