Men's Basketball | 10/31/2025 10:05:00 PM

Box Score The Cloud County Community College men's basketball team opened its 2025-2026 season with a dominant 116-64 victory over William Penn University JV on Friday, October 31 at the Meridian Credit Union Classic in Ottumwa, Iowa. Thirteen different players scored for the T-Birds, including five players reaching double figures.

Cloud County's 52-point margin of victory is the largest margin of victory under second year head coach Kyle Pugh, surpassing their 51-point win over Kansas Wesleyan JV on November 7, 2024. The team's 116 total points is the most scored by a T-Birds team since they scored 119 points in a game against Bethany College JV on November 13, 2023.

The T-Birds shot 55 percent from the field, outrebounded the Statesmen 64-30, and recorded 25 steals leading to 41 points off turnovers in the win. Cloud County scored 61 first-half points and led by as many as 56 points.

Freshman forward Al Brooks Jr. led the T-Birds with a 16 point, 10 rebound double-double on 7-of-13 shooting. Brooks also finished with three blocks and two steals. Freshman guard Kam Williams also had 16 points on 5-of-9 shooting. Redshirt freshman Manasseh Stackhouse added 15 points on 6-of-8 shooting to go with six rebounds. Freshmen Ikee Brooks and D'Ontez Walker tallied ten points each. Brooks added five rebounds and two steals, while Walker added four steals and three rebounds.

Sophomore Elidjah Savane chipped in eight points and five rebounds. Sophomores Kuel Akot, Syncere Burnette and DJ Holloway posted seven points each. Freshman Kaidan Chatham had six points, freshman Will Otott added five points, and freshman Jack Skocny finished with three points.

Cloud County's bench combined for 73 points. The T-Birds also dominated in the paint, 76-28, and on second-chance points, 19-7.

Cloud County continues play in the Meridian Credit Union Classic on Saturday, November 1 when they face the host school, No. 13 Indian Hills Community College. Tip-off from the Hellyer Center is set for 3:30 pm.

The Warriors opened their season with a 78-61 win over Pratt Community College. Sophomore guard Taj Au-Duke led the way with 14 points on 50 percent shooting with two made three-pointers.

Indian Hills return four members off last year's NJCAA North Central District and NJCAA Region 11 Championship squad in Mason Costello, Javeyn Martin, Ater Manyuon, and Vladyslav Semerych. Indian Hills wrapped up the 2024-2025 campaign with a 27-6 overall record, including a 4-0 mark in the Iowa Community College Athletic Conference (ICCAC), reaching the NJCAA Division I Men's Basketball National Championship Tournament for the 20th time in program history.

Last year, Indian Hills had to forfeit their season-opening contest against Cloud County due to playing an ineligible player.