Trojans outlast Knights on the second day of the Otero Classic
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | T | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
North Platte Community College | 17 | 10 | 23 | 22 | 72 |
|
Trinidad State College | 25 | 15 | 21 | 27 | 88 |
La Junta, Colo. – The Trojans of Trinidad State College used a strong full court pressure to earn the 88-72 win over the Knights on Friday night on the second day of the Otero Classic.
The Knights (1-4) shot 46.4 percent (26-56) on the night, including 37.5 percent in the first half, while Trinidad State used an 8-0 run midway through the second quarter to propel them to a 40-27 lead by the halftime break.
Samantha Riggles finished the night with 23 points on 10-of-14 shooting from the field to accompany her four rebounds. Reece Halley was the only other Knights player in double digits, closing the night with 10 points, six rebounds and three assists.
A stifling full court press shut down the Knights early, as Trinidad State rolled out to a 15-8 lead in the opening five minutes of action. North Platte utilized the next three minutes to steadily chip into the lead, eventually cutting the margin to four as Jada Grigsby connected on one-of-two from the free throw line. Trinidad answered closing the quarter on a 4-0 spurt to lead 25-17 after one quarter.
Trojans stretched their lead to 14 by the 5:04 mark of the second quarter, but the Knights continued to battle and managed to cut the margin to nine on a putback by Remie Haynes inside two minutes to play. Trinidad State once again applied the defensive pressure, which allowed them to carry the lead into the halftime break.
The Trojans lead stayed in double digits in the third quarter, eventually climbing to 55-37 with 3:30 to play. Knights continued to fight, closing the quarter on a 5-2 run to narrow the margin to eleven.
North Platte cut the deficit to 61-52 with a short-range jumper by Riggles to open the fourth quarter, but the Trojans quickly fought back to extend their lead back to double digits. Trinidad State continued to match the Knights down the stretch to seal the win.
Knights return to the hardwood for the final day of the Otero Classic on Saturday against Lamar Community College. Tip is set for noon in La Junta, Colo.