By KIRK HARDCASTLE
NIACC sports information director
OVERLAND PARK, Kan. – The 99 points were not enough.
The NIACC women’s basketball team dropped a 109-99 decision to Cape Fear CC in the consolation round at the NJCAA Division II national tournament Thursday afternoon on the Johnson County CC campus.
Cape Fear (27-2) will play in the fifth-place game at 2 p.m. Saturday.
The 99 points is the seventh highest total for NIACC in Todd Ciochetto’s two season as coach of the Lady Trojans and third highest output this season.
“They (the Sea Devils) were more scrappy than we were,” said NIACC sophomore Savannah Lentz, who scored 25 points, including six 3-point goals. “We probably should have had a lot more stops.
“We hit our shots and could get what we wanted on offense. We just didn’t stop them on defense.”
Lentz shared team-high scoring honors with Trudy Peterson, who also scored 25 points, including seven 3-point goals. The Lady Trojans also received 18 points from sophomore Diamond Miller and 12 points from freshman Morgan Cuffe.
Sophomore Sammie Sproul scored nine points with 11 rebounds, five assists and two steals. Eckert had nine rebounds and five assists and Miller grabbed six rebounds.
Lentz and Peterson, the top two 3-point shooters in school history, combined to make 316 career 3-point goals. Lentz is the all-time leader with 171 3-point goals and Peterson ranks second with 145 3-point goals.
Peterson connected on 101 3-point goals in her sophomore season, which ranks second on the school’s single-season list. Lentz made 87 3-pointer this season (3rd on the school’s single-season list).
NIACC wrapped up the 2015-16 with a record of 23-12 and a second trip to the national tournament in the last three seasons.
“This group fought to get here,” NIACC coach Todd Ciochetto said. “They deserved to be here.
“I’m proud of the sophomores. I’m proud of how the freshmen came together.”
In Thursday’s contest, Cape Fear, which led 26-24 after the first quarter, outscored NIACC 39-18 in the second quarter to take a 56-42 lead at the half. The Sea Devils outscored the Lady Trojans 22-18 in the third quarter to push their lead to 78-60.
NIACC outscored Cape Fear 39-31 in the final 10 minutes to trim the final deficit to 10 points.
Desaree Green led Cape Fear with 31 points. Monica Alexander scored 17 points and Chrystall Jerome scored 16 points.
Despite the second straight loss to the end the season, Lentz said her two-year stay at NIACC was an extremely positive one.
“I’m really thankful for NIACC,” Lentz said. “It’s been a family atmosphere and I’m really going to miss it.”
Cape Fear CC 109, NIACC 99
NIACC 24 18 18 39 – 99
Cape Fear 26 30 22 31 – 109
NIACC – Savannah Lentz 25, Courtney Larson 6, Sammie Sproul 9, Anna Eckert 4, Trudy Peterson 25, Morgan Cuffe 12, Diamond Miller 18. Totals – 32-78 20-25 99.
Cape Fear CC – Monica Alexander 17, Chrystall Jerome 16, Jasmine Brown 14, De’najah Porter 2, Destiny Campbell 12, Ieshia Love 4, Shaniya McLaughlin 3, Imani Parr 10, Desaree Green 31. Totals – 42-78 15-25 109.
3-point goals – NIACC (15-37): Lentz 6, Sproul 1, Peterson 7, Miller 1. Cape Fear (10-20): Alexander 3, Jerome 2, Brown 1, Love 1, McLaughlin 1, Parr 2. Total fouls – NIACC 18, Cape Fear 25. Fouled out – none. Technical fouls – NIACC’s bench 2.
NIACC’s 2015-16 season (23-12 overall)
NIACC 76, NDSCS 51
NIACC 98, Williston State College 77
NIACC 84, Illinois Central 76 (OT)
NIACC 87, Lake Land College 73
Illinois Central 86, NIACC 75
Parkland College 84, NIACC 71
NIACC 83, RCTC 61
State Fair CC 83, NIACC 81
NIACC 131, Kennedy King College 71
NIACC 74, Marshalltown CC 46
Iowa Western 81, NIACC 74
NIACC 93, Cincinnati State 80
Illinois Central 87, NIACC 54
Schoolcraft College 78, NIACC 55
Iowa Western 63, NIACC 53
Iowa Central 76, NIACC 52
NIACC 97, Southwestern 54
NIACC 106, Ellsworth 59
DMACC 83, NIACC 75
NIACC 85, Southeastern 81
NIACC 83, Iowa Lakes 68
Kirkwood 83, NIACC 76
NIACC 85, Iowa Central 66
NIACC 69, Southwestern 57
NIACC 68, Ellsworth 54
NIACC 64, DMACC 52
NIACC 93, Southeastern 71
NIACC 86, Iowa Lakes 70
NIACC 60, Kirkwood 57
NJCAA Region XI tournament
NIACC 77, Southwestern 45
NIACC 67, Iowa Central 54
NIACC 83, DMACC 80
NJCAA Division II national tournament
NIACC 74, Lake Michigan College 56
Illinois Central 85, NIACC 71
Cape Fear CC 109, NIACC 99
