NORFOLK, Neb. – Emmette Page (Crystal, Minn.) dropped 38 points and Daniel Akuei (Melbourne, Australia) added a double-double with 16 points and 12 rebounds as the Northeast Community College men’s basketball team out-lasted Iowa Western Community College, 89-83 on Saturday night at the Cox Activities Center in Norfolk.
The Hawks (10-7, 1-0) scored quickly in the first half, thanks to back-to-back 3-pointers by Akuei and Page to give Northeast a 20-9 advantage. Northeast held the Reivers under 30 points until the 1:15 mark, while the Hawks managed to take a 39-34 lead into halftime.
Iowa Western took its first lead of the game with 12:38 to play in the second half, but the Hawks didn’t go down without a fight. Ben Moxness (Scribner, Neb.) and Page hit back-to-back 3-pointers to pull the Hawks within three points. Northeast began to climb back into the game after Akuei hit two 3-pointers and Page hit another within a minute to give the Hawks a two-point lead.
Akuei came up clutch with 2:57 to play, hitting a long-range shot from beyond the arc. However, the Reivers quickly grabbed the lead back, but on the ensuing Northeast possession, Page was fouled as his jumper sank through the net. He went on to hit the free throw to give the Hawks an 83-81 lead. Asher Scavella (Nassau, Bahamas) sank all of his free throws down the stretch the put Northeast in the driver’s seat.
Northeast went on to shoot 43 percent from the field, 46 percent from the three-point line and 87 percent from the charity stripe.
Scavella pitched in 14 points and seven boards, while Michael Anderson (Lincoln, Neb.) had nine points and six rebounds.
The Hawks hit the road to battle Quakerdale Prep Academy at 7 p.m. Wednesday in New Providence, Iowa.
NORFOLK, Neb. – In a back-and-forth ICCAC battle, it was the Northeast Community women’s basketball team that came out on top Saturday night.
The Hawks (16-2, 1-0 ICCAC) shot 42 percent from the field as they downed Iowa Western Community College, 70-63 at the Cox Activities Center in Norfolk.
Iowa Western jumped out early to a 12-4 lead in the first quarter, but back-to-back baskets by Emina Hadzihusejnovic (Mostar, Bosnia) and Julia Carbonell (Barcelona, Spain) pulled the Hawks with two points with 2:55 to play. Carbonell ultimately gave the Hawks their first lead of the game late in the quarter after nailing a deep 3-pointer.
The second quarter was stagnant early, but Beth Matas (Girona, Spain) gave the Hawks some momentum as they took a 31-28 lead. Northeast went on to take a 33-32 lead at halftime after Kyla Moore (Norfolk, Neb.) hit a jumper with a minute to play in the first half.
Matas got the Hawks going early in the third quarter after she back-to-back free throws, followed by a 3-pointer to give Northeast an eight-point edge. Macey Kulhanek (Howells, Neb.) quickly accounted for six points in a span of two minutes after she was sent to the line twice and later followed with a mid-range jumper.
Moore went to work in the fourth quarter for the Hawks as she made back-to-back jumpers and followed with the old fashion three-point play to put the Hawks up by 11 points. With 7:43 to play in the game, Lorna Maxon (Laurel, Neb.) nailed a crucial 3-pointer that gave Northeast a 14-point lead. The Hawks held steady the rest of the way on the defensive end to put the game out of reach for the Reivers.
Matas led the Hawks with 17 points and eight assists. Moore added 11 points, while Kulhanek and Hadzihusejnovic had 10 points each.
The Hawks are back in action at 5 p.m. Monday when they host Hastings College JV in Norfolk.
