Men's Basketball Falls in First KJCCC Test Against Independence
The Trojans men’s basketball team opened KJCCC conference play at home on Wednesday night, but a hot-shooting Independence squad spoiled the conference debut as the Pirates topped the Trojans, 102–87, inside the Colby Event Center.
| Final | 1 | 2 | T |
|---|---|---|---|
|
|
47 | 55 | 102 |
|
|
42 | 45 | 87 |
Team Stats
| Game Statistics | Independence Community College | Colby Community College |
|---|---|---|
| Field Goals | (36-61) | (31-66) |
| Field Goal % | 59.0% | 47.0% |
| Rebounds | 26 | 30 |
| Assists | 22 | 10 |
| Turnovers | 14 | 12 |
| Pts off Turnovers | 15 | 15 |
| 2nd Chance Pts | 4 | 15 |
| Pts in the Paint | 34 | 44 |
| Fastbreak Pts | 0 | 0 |
| Bench Pts | 26 | 25 |
COLBY, Kan. — The Trojans men's basketball team opened KJCCC conference play at home on Wednesday night, but a hot-shooting Independence squad spoiled the conference debut as the Pirates topped the Trojans, 102–87, inside the Colby Event Center.
Independence entered the matchup ranked 7th in the KJCCC Preseason Poll, and their scoring firepower showed early. The Pirates built a 47–42 halftime lead, using efficient shooting from deep to keep Colby at arm's length despite several Trojan runs. Colby stayed within striking distance throughout the first 20 minutes, but Independence caught fire after the break and outscored the Trojans 55–45 in the second half to secure the win.
The Trojans shot 47.0% from the field (31-of-66) and produced several standout performances, led by Aliou Diallo, who poured in 21 points on 7-of-12 shooting and attacked the rim for 10 free-throw attempts. D.J. Cason added 19 points, including three made threes, and played a team-high 36 minutes.
Gabe Njenga made another major impact off the bench with 14 points and eight rebounds, including seven offensive boards. He has been a consistent option this season, scoring 20 on 61.2% field goal percentage. Giannis Asimakopoulos contributed 9 points, 8 rebounds, and a block, while Elias Agba added 8 points on an efficient 4-of-6 night.
Independence (2–3, 1–0 KJCCC) delivered one of its sharpest offensive outings of the season, shooting 59% from the field (36-of-61) and 48.3% from three (14-of-29). The Pirates were led by Trae Lewis, who erupted for 31 points, including seven made threes. David Wilson added 22 points, attacking downhill all night and shooting 7-of-10 from the floor. Sterling Knox filled the stat sheet with 8 points, 9 assists, and 6 rebounds, facilitating an offense that tallied 22 assists in total.
Despite the loss, Colby showed stretches of strong execution and received high-level production across the lineup. The Trojans now sit 2-5 (0-1 KJCCC) on the season. With the first conference test now behind them, the Trojans look to regroup Saturday (Nov. 22) against Seward County. The Saints opened the season with five straight wins before taking their first loss to New Mexico Junior College. They average 81.8 points on 45% shooting with over 40 rebounds per game, led by Lyna Brooks Jr. 's team-best 12.8 points.