Box Score PRATT, Kansas — The Cloud County Community College men's basketball team lost a frustrating 97-84 road contest to Pratt Community College on Saturday, ending a grueling four-game road trip.
Cloud County (6-14 overall, 4-13 KJCCC) held the top scoring team in the KJCCC to 38 points in the first half en route to a 46-38 lead at the break. But the Beavers (9-12 overall, 6-11 KJCCC), who entered Saturday averaging 93.2 — the 23rd best mark in the country — exploded for 59 second-half points to steal the victory.
The T-Birds held a 63-53 lead with 12 minutes remaining in the first half before Pratt made a 14-4 run to tie the game as the clocked ticked under eight minutes left.
The two teams were tied again at 71-71 with 7:06 remaining until the Beavers were able to pull away for good, finishing the game on a 26-13 blitz.
Turnovers by Cloud and Pratt's aggressiveness off the dribble in the second half paved the comeback trail as Cloud County lost the turnover battle, 16-5, while the Beavers made 11 more free throws (22-of-26, 85%) than the T-Birds (11-of-20, 55%).
Freshman guard JaVary Christmas continued to provide a bright spot on offense, leading all T-Birds with 21 points on 9-of-20 shooting. His backcourt mate, sophomore guard Solomon Finley, added 18 points while redshirt freshman Alvin Thompson chipped in 11 points, five rebounds and three assists.
Sophomore forward Shawn Lee paced the Cloud County reserves with 12 points, seven rebounds and four assists off the bench.
The T-Birds will now return home for the first time since Jan. 13 when they host Coffeyville at 8 p.m. on Wednesday.
