By Marissa VanWingen
mvanwingen@iafalls.com

Fourth-ranked Ellsworth Community College hosted No. 21 North Central Missouri College (10-5) and recorded their 20th win the season, 92-78.

Leading 29-28, Will Taylor hit a pair of free throws to give ECC the three-point lead in the first half. The Panthers then went on a run, scoring eight in a row to lead 37-28, six of those coming from the charity stripe. ECC ended the half on another scoring spree and reached double figures for the first time on a Jacob Khounsourath make and led 47-36 at the break.

Tanner Berggren opened the second half and hit two of his five triples as ECC went on a scoring run to lead by 18 (60-42). The Pirates came back and outscored the hosts by a 18-2 tally. With 10 minutes left in the contest, the difference was just one possession (62-60). Taylor made a basket and a free throw for an old fashioned three-point play as the Panthers kept their distance.

ECC scored 13 of the next 15 points to once again lead by double figures (74-62) and would extend the advantage by the end of the contest.

The hosts were hot from floor, making baskets at a 54.2 percent clip and made nine threes. The biggest number came from the free throw line where the Panthers were 19 of 26. Five ECC players were in double figures, led by Berggren and Ngondu - who both scored 19. Eesher Singh Sarai (17), Christian Johnson (12) and Taylor (11) were also in double digits. Taylor added eight rebounds to the cause.

For more on ECC Athletics, visit https://www.timescitizen.com/sports/ecc/

NJCAA Basketball
Saturday at Iowa Falls

NCMC: 36| 42 - 78
ECC: 47| 45 - 92

ECC Scoring: Tanner Berggren 7 0-0 19; Collins Ngondu 7 2-4 19; Eesher Singh Sarai 5 7-8 17; Christian Johnson 3 6-8 12; Will Taylor 4 3-3 11; Jacob Khounsourath 3 0-0 7; Jonovan Wilkinson 2 1-2 5; Ryland Ubben 1 0-1 2.