Men's Basketball Takes Down No. 19 Seward County in Statement Home Win

COLBY, Kan. — The Colby Trojans men's basketball team delivered a statement performance Sunday (Jan. 25), knocking off No. 19 Seward County Community College 74–69 at the Colby Event Center. The Trojans clutch defense secured a marquee victory over the nationally ranked Saints.

The opening half was a defensive battle, with both teams contesting shots and limiting easy looks. Colby pieced together multiple scoring efforts to maintain control, heading into halftime with a narrow 27–26 advantage.

Seward County struck first out of the break with a bucket to briefly regain the lead, but Nana Keutcha answered immediately, spinning through the lane for a strong finish to put the Trojans back in front. Gabe Njenga followed with a basket in the paint to extend Colby's lead as the Trojans began to gain momentum.

Aliou Diallo, who managed just one field goal in the first half, came alive after the break. Diallo opened the second-half surge with a smooth layup, then delivered a momentum-shifting three-pointer in transition following a Keutcha block. Moments later, D.J. Cason buried back-to-back three-pointers, pushing Colby's lead to eight.

After Cason missed a tough layup inside, Owen Reece cleaned up the possession with a putback to keep pressure on the Saints. Seward County responded by chipping away at the deficit, earning multiple trips to the free-throw line and getting strong finishes from Antonio Williams Jr.

Cason answered with an and-one to restore a six-point lead, but Williams Jr. stayed aggressive, scoring quickly inside before knocking down a three-pointer to tie the game at 48–48 with just under seven minutes remaining.

Following a Njenga steal, Diallo connected on another three-pointer to swing momentum back to the Trojans. That basket led into a strong defensive possession, capped by a Njenga three to extend the lead to six. Diallo wasn't finished, after Reece scored down low, Diallo drilled a clutch three-pointer to push Colby's advantage into double digits against the ranked Saints.

The final minutes slowed due to fouls, but Colby remained composed, closing out the game at the free-throw line and on the defensive end to secure the 74–69 victory.

Cason led all scorers with 23 points, shooting 7-of-13 from the field and 4-of-7 from beyond the arc, while adding five free throws and three steals. Diallo finished with 19 points on 6-of-14 shooting, knocking down three second-half triples and adding three assists. Reece contributed nine points, four assists, and timely finishes inside. Njenga added eight points on efficient shooting, while Keutcha anchored the interior with seven points, 14 rebounds, two assists, a block, and a steal.

As a team, Colby shot 45.3 percent from the field and 39.1 percent from three-point range, while going 17-of-27 at the free-throw line. The Trojans outrebounded Seward County 32–27, forced 10 turnovers, recorded six steals and three blocks, and finished with 11 assists.

Seward County was led by Bailey Milligan's 20 points on 7-of-11 shooting, while Quincey Kidd added 18 points off the bench, hitting five three-pointers. Antonio Williams Jr. finished with 16 points. The Saints shot 37.5 percent from the field, 37.0 percent from three, and 52.4 percent from the free-throw line.

The win improves Colby to 5–15 (3–11 KJCCC),and stands as a signature victory for the Trojans as they knock off a nationally ranked opponent on their home floor and even their home record at .500 on the season. Conference action continues Wednesday (Jan. 28), as Colby remains at home to host Barton.