Cowley College Hoops Sweep Mavericks

By RAMA PEROO/Cowley College

The Cowley College women’s basketball team continued its recent resurgence with a 93-77 victory over Northwest Kansas Tech Saturday afternoon inside W.S. Scott Auditorium.

The victory was Cowley’s second in a row and fourth in its past six games as they improved its record to 12-10 overall and 7-9 in the Jayhawk Conference. Cowley has scored 90 or more points in each of its past four wins.

“We have changed our style of play where we are playing faster and forcing other teams to play faster,” Cowley head coach Todd Clark said.

Baylee Fincher scored 10 of her game-high 22 points in the opening half as Cowley built a 46-32 halftime lead.

“Baylee hit some big shots and really carried us,” Clark said.

Using a full-court press from the opening tip, Cowley scored 20 first-half points off 13 Lady Maverick turnovers.

NW Tech would out-score Cowley 28-20 in the third quarter to pull within 66-60 and trailed just 79-72 before Cowley closed the game on a 14-5 run.

Cowley out-scored the Mavericks 26-8 from the foul-line as they went 26-of-30 from the free-throw line.

“We did a good job of getting to the free-throw line but will need to shoot at a higher percentage from the floor moving forward,” Clark said.

Carson Dean added 17 points and six rebounds for the Lady Tigers, while freshman post player Anna Przyszlak added 18 points and eight boards.

Alexandria Thompson led the Mavericks with 19 points but shot only 7-of-23 from the floor. The loss drops Northwest Kansas Tech’s record to 7-14 overall and 3-13 in the conference.

Cowley will now travel to take on Hutchinson Wednesday at 5:30 p.m. The Lady Blue Dragons are 17-5 overall and 11-5 in the conference.

“We have got to be ready to hook up and play,” Clark said. “We will need to be better to win at Hutch.”

Box score:

NW Tech (77): Alexandria Thompson 7-23 2-5 19, Sokhna Toure 3-7 0-1 6, Sarengbe Sanogo 8-13 1-4 17, Tyjihane Penny 2-12 5-6 10, Mariam Sanogo 7-12 0-0 14, Elisa Sanchez 1-2 0-0 2, Aziah Campbell 3-4 1-1 7, Cerena Watson 1-4 0-0 2. Totals: 32-77 8-17 77.

Cowley (93): Gracie Gilpin 4-17 2-2 10, Baylee Fincher 7-18 4-4 22, Carson Dean 4-13 7-8 17, Shamahra Henderson 2-6 0-0 4, Anna Przyszlak 7-12 4-6 18, Stasia Duque 0-2 0-0 0, Onnahili Williams 0-2 0-0 0, Lorette Chene 1-6 3-4 5, Brooke Perez 2-4 2-2 6, Jana Radovanovic 0-2 2-2 2, Lexi Rose 1-1 0-0 3, N’dack Mbengue 2-3 2-2 6. Totals: 30-86 26-30 93.

Three-pointers: NW Tech 5-23 Thompson 3-12, Penny 1-7, Campbell 1-1, Toure 0-1, Sanchez 0-1, Watson 0-1), Cowley 7-36 (Fincher 4-9, Dean 2-7, Rose 1-1, Gilpin 0-10, Chene 0-4, Przyszlak 0-2, Henderson 0-1, Duque 0-1, Williams 0-1). Rebounds: NW Tech 46 (S. Sanogo 12), Cowley 46 (Gilpin, Przyszlak 8). Assists: NW Tech 22 (Toure, Sanchez), Cowley 19 (Fincher 6). Total fouls: NW Tech 23, Cowley 18. Fouled out: Thompson, Henderson. Technicals: Thompson.

Tigers avenge early season loss to Mavericks

Having lost at Northwest Kansas Tech in late November, the Cowley College men’s basketball team avenged the defeat with an 85-68 win Saturday inside W.S. Scott Auditorium.

Tiger sophomore Mekhi Cameron scored Cowley’s first 11 points and finished with a game-high 27 points on 7-of-10 shooting from three-point range as Cowley finished 12-of-27 from beyond the arc as a team and finished with 19 assists.

“I liked the way we shared the ball,” Cowley head coach Donnie Jackson said.

Cowley led 30-8 midway through the first half following a dunk by freshman Corey Thomas and went into halftime with a 42-29 lead. During halftime, Cowley would recognize the 2023 Class of the Tiger Athletic Hall of Fame consisting of soccer player Amber (Hernandez) Carson, softball athlete Breayle (Tackett) Shelton, baseball player Aaron Sanderholm, Lady Tiger basketball player Elena Yankova, and the national champion 1991 Tiger men’s tennis team.

Leading 64-53 in the second half, Cowley would use a 12-1 run to lead 76-54 as they went on to the 17-point win.

“We wanted to play with great energy and make it a special day for the hall of famers,” Cowley head coach Donnie Jackson said. “It was good for us to protect our home court.”

Freshman Jeff Nwankwo added nine points and nine rebounds as Cowley out-rebounded the Mavericks 40-21.

The victory improves Cowley’s record to 13-9 overall and 7-9 in the Jayhawk Conference. NW Tech falls to 8-13 and 4-12 in conference play.

Making his second straight start at point guard, Damare Smith finished with eight points on 3-of-6 shooting.

“Damare is bringing really good energy to the team,” Jackson said.

While sophomore Xavier Valley, coming off an injury in the offseason, scored in double figures for the second straight game.

“I feel Xavier is starting to get his legs back and is playing with a little more confidence,” Jackson said.

Keyishon Miller led the Mavericks with 20 points in the loss.

Cowley will now prepare for a challenging road test at Hutchinson Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. The Tigers defeated the Blue Dragons 111-95 back on November 30 and are only one game back of Hutchinson in the conference standings.

“Playing Hutchinson is always a big game for Cowley,” Jackson said. “We have got to be ready for their press and be able to take their best shot. We will need to have two good days of practice leading up to the game.”

Box score:

NW Tech (68): Taiden Conner 3-13 5-6 12, Tate Bessire 2-6 1-2 5, Keyishon Miller 6-12 5-9 20, Arthur Celestin 6-8 3-5 15, Youssouf Timera 1-4 1-2 3, Zaire Hayes 5-12 0-0 11, Daniel Moose 1-3 0-0 2. Totals: 24-58 15-24 68.

Cowley (85): Meki Cameron 9-12 2-2 27, Xavier Washington 3-7 3-3 9, Jeff Nwankwo 6-11 0-0 13, Damare Smith 3-6 0-0 8, Corey Thomas 2-3 1-2 5, Mooch Austin 2-3 0-0 5, Xavier Valley 4-11 1-2 10, Demetrius Rives 0-0 0-0 0, Cameron Jernigan 3-4 0-0 6, Trevion Alexander 0-0 0-0 0, Lam Kuany 1-3 0-0 2, Jackson Greene 0-0 0-0 0. Totals: 33-60 7-9 85.

Three-pointers: NW Tech 5-21 (Milelr 3-5, Conner 1-8, Hayes 1-4, Bessire 0-2, Moose 0-2), Cowley 12-27 (Cameron 7-10, Smith 2-5, Nwankwo 1-4, Valley 1-4, Austin 1-2, Washington 0-1, Kuany 0-1). Rebounds: NW Tech 21 (Celestin 6), Cowley 40 (Nwankwo 9). Assists: NW Tech 6 (Hayes 3), Cowley 19 (Austin 6). Total fouls: NW Tech 11, Cowley 17. Fouled out: Timera. Technicals: Washington.