T-Birds avenge loss to Tigers, 80-65

In what was a 49-point turnaround, the Cloud County Community College Thunderbirds avenged an earlier loss and secured a home game in the opening round of the Region VI Tournament by running past the Cowley College Tigers 80-65 Saturday afternoon in Bryant Gymnasium.
Cloud County suffered a 90-56 setback to Cowley in the first meeting of the season, back on January 11, in Arkansas City.
In the rematch, the T-Birds built a 12-point fourth quarter lead and knocked down 8 of 10 free throws over the final 2:35 to secure the Jayhawk Conference victory.
“We did a lot better job against their press. We didn’t eliminate turnovers, but we didn’t turn it over as easily and as much as we did down there,” Cloud County coach Brett Erkenbrack said. “We did a lot better job on the back side of their press. We were more aggressive in trying to attack. When we did execute the press break situation, I thought we did a good job and finished around the basket.”
Cloud County, now 16-13 overall, improved to 10-12 in conference play.
The T-Birds are tied for seventh place in the conference with Independence Community
College, one-half game behind Seward County Community College (12-12).
Cloud County wraps up the regular season at Colby Community College, and can finish no lower than eighth place.
With a win at Colby, the T-Birds would be assured of being seeded seventh.
The top four teams in the conference receive a bye in the opening round of the tournament. The next four teams host first-round games.
“I think it is important for anybody to play at home. That is one of those secondary goals that everybody has,” Erkenbrack said. “The way the postseason is set up, you want to give yourself the best opportunity to extend your season as long as you can. We have traveled enough, and I think about everybody would feel better about playing at home rather than going on the road.”
Cloud County and Cowley exchanged the lead four times during the first quarter, with neither team leading by more than three points.
A basket by Maimouna Sissoko late in the first period gave the T-Birds a 14-13 advantage.
Sissoko came off the bench to score 21 points and grab seven rebounds.
A three-point basket by Tereia Steward 27 seconds into the second quarter gave Cloud County a 17-13 lead.
Gracie Gilpin scored for Cowley to make it 17-15.
Cloud County got seven points from Sissoko during a 10-5 spurt that pushed the lead to 27-20.
Baylee Fincher scored the next five points, and the Tigers trailed just 27-25.
Fincher poured in 28 points for Cowley but put up 33 shots to do so.
Te Araroa Sopoaga knocked down a three for Cloud County.
A three by Gilpin and a free throw by Lexi Roe pulled Cowley within a point, 30-29.
Cadence Nondorf scored on a drive, and the T-Birds took a 32-29 lead into halftime.
“A number of different people made big plays for us throughout the course of the game,” Erkenbrack said.
Cloud County scored the first six points of the second half, and led 38-29.
Cowley, 14-15 overall and 9-14 in the conference, closed the gap to five points, 40-35.
A layup by Alize Ruiz and baskets off of offensive rebounds by Lilly Smith and Jessi Brummett pushed Cloud County’s lead to 46-35.
Smith scored 15 points for the T-Birds, and Ruiz added 14 points and 12 rebounds.
Cloud County went up by as many as 12 points.
A three by Fincher as time ran out in the third quarter and another one early in the fourth period got the Tigers within six points, 53-47.
Ruiz made two free throws and Nondorf hit from 18 feet to give Cloud County a 57-47 cushion.
Cowley got as close as six points, 64-58.
A free throw by Ruiz, a three by Smith and a bucket by Sissoko made it a 70-58 game.
With Cowley fouling to try to get back into the game, the T-Birds connected on 8 of 10 free throws to extend the lead.
Sopoaga finished with 10 points and seven rebounds for Cloud County.
The T-Birds shot 51 percent (30 of 59) from the field.
Gilpin scored 14 points for Cowley and Carson Dean added 10.
The Tigers put up 82 shots from the field in the game and made just 23 of them for 28 percent.