Your future, our focus
First-rate shooting by Kyle Brown and Josh Petteno helped the Northwest College men’s basketball to three wins on the road last weekend and Monday.
And while the Northwest women went 1-2, the victory means the Lady Trappers already have exceeded last season’s win total. They are 5-6 overall.
The three-game sweep left the men 6-5. They topped the Wyoming All-Stars 105-85 last Friday in Sheridan and then bested the Sheridan All-Stars 107-77 on Saturday. Monday, the Trappers polished off the Rocky Mountain JV 94-87 in Billings.
The women fell to Casper College 66-59 and were edged by Sheridan College 66-64 in overtime before handling Rocky’s JV 85-76 with a high-pressure defense.
Adela Smutna led the women with with 24 points, including hitting three 3-pointers, in the Casper loss. Samiyah Worrell added 13 points.
The high scorers were reversed in the heart-breaker loss to Sheridan, Worrell the team’s top scorer with 20 points and Smutna behind her with 13.
In the Rocky win, Worrell scored 27 points and made five 3s. She had company in double figures with Smutna contributing 15 points and sisters Tess (11) Lily Henry (10) joining them.
“Good win on the road for the Trappers,” coach Cam Levett said.
Rocky hit 13 long-range shots to keep the game close despite the Lady Trappers forcing 25 turnovers.
“Rocky played hard and let it fly,” Levett said.
Brown, a sophomore guard, pumped in 27 points versus the Wyoming All-Stars, 14 against Sheridan and 23 against Rocky. Petteno, a freshman, went for 14, 23 and 27. More scoring was spread around, as well. Rambo Badyl fired in 18 points, Eric Jackson 16 and Max Dehon 12 over the Wyoming All-Stars.
In the triumph over the Sheridan All-Stars, the Trappers had six players in double figures. Besides Brown and Petteno, Jacob Schilder scored 13, Raydal and Seth Mason 11 each, and Jerome Mabry 10.
“I was proud we stayed selfless,” coach Jay Collins said. “As a team we played together for 40 minutes. Sometimes it’s hard to play the right way (when the margin of the lead is big).”
Both Northwest teams are at home in Cabre Gym for the last time this year this weekend before a long holiday break. The women play Miles Community College at 5:30 p.m. in the First Bank Shootout Friday and Dawson Community College at 2 p.m. Saturday. In their half of the tournament the men meet the same schools, Miles at 7:30 p.m. Friday and Dawson at 4 p.m. Saturday.