NIACC men upset #12 Ellsworth, women fall to Panthers

MASON CITY – The NIACC men’s basketball team upset No. 12 Ellsworth 80-75 in an ICCAC contest in the NIACC gym Wednesday night.

NIACC (15-7 overall, 7-5 in ICCAC) trailed 75-74 in the final minute but received late baskets from Jaheim Savage and Joseph Fitch to take a 78-75 lead in the final seconds. The Panthers were unable to score on their final possession and Zion Wright made two free throws with less than a second remaining to give the Trojans the five-point victory.

The victory by NIACC gave the Trojans the regular season sweep over the rival Panthers. NIACC topped Ellsworth 90-85 on Nov. 30 in Iowa Falls in the ICCAC opener for both teams,

NIACC moved into a tied for third in the ICCAC with Iowa Western with their 7-5 league marks. No. 23 Iowa Western dropped a 102-91 double overtime decision to Iowa Lakes on Wednesday.

In Wednesday’s victory, sophomore guard Omarion Roberts led the Trojans with 19 points. Savage score 16 points off the bench and Brayden Drea scored 14 points.

Wright also reached double figures with 10 points coming off the bench.

Roberts also had seven rebounds, seven assists and two steals. Adam Hackett scored eight points with seven rebounds and Fitch scored six points with six rebounds, three blocked shots, two assists and one steal.

Ellsworth (16-6, 6-5)was led by Jonovan Wilkinson with 20 points. Rollings Komanda scored 16 points and collected nine rebounds.

NIACC returns to action Saturday at No. 4 Kirkwood (20-2, 9-2) in an ICCAC contest. Game time in Cedar Rapids is slated for 3 p.m.
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MASON CITY – The NIACC women’s basketball team dropped a 86-77 decision to Ellsworth Wednesday in an ICCAC contest in the NIACC gym.

Ellsworth was led by Ella Sharar with 24 points. Rosario Mera Pandero was next in line for the Panthers with 18 points and Laia Santanach scored 16 points.

The Panthers (18-3 overall, 9-2 in the ICCAC) outscored the Trojans 25-17 in the fourth quarter to claim the nine-point victory.

NIACc (17-5, 8-4) was led by sophomore Keeley Steele with 20 points. Freshman Reggi Spotts scored 17 points for the Trojans.

Sophomore Tori Miller and sophomore Karly Holm both scored 12 points for the Trojans.

Steele also had five assists, three rebounds and three steals. Miller collected seven rebounds with four assists and two steals.

Freshman Kiru Othow scored nine points with three rebounds. Freshman Tayler Helgemoe led the Trojans with four blocked shots.

NIACC returns to action Saturday at No. 1 Kirkwood. Game time in Cedar Rapids is slated for 1 p.m.