North Platte Knights hold off Northeastern 64-60 in Region 9 South

North Platte Community College rallied late to beat Northeastern Junior College 64-60 on Jan. 29, 2026, a Region 9 South result that pushes the Knights to 13-8 overall and 5-1 in conference play. The game tightened into the final two minutes before North Platte converted at the free-throw line to close out the win.

Northeastern opened the contest on a 7-0 run before North Platte answered with seven straight points to even the score. The Plainsmen then compiled another surge to build an eight-point advantage, but North Platte chipped away. Joseph Badejo tied the game at 23-23 with a pair of free throws with 3:51 remaining in the first half, and the teams went to the locker rooms knotted at 28-28.

The Knights began the second half on a 9-2 run and held the lead for much of the period. Northeastern tied the game for the first time in the half with just under nine minutes remaining, and the teams traded possessions in a back-and-forth stretch. The score was tied again with 1:20 left before North Platte capitalized at the free-throw line, scoring five of the game’s final six points to seal the victory.

Brady Kennison led North Platte with 16 points, while Josh Osayanrhion added 15 points and eight rebounds. Team shooting lines show Northeastern at 21-55 (38.2 percent) from the field and North Platte at 17-60 (28.3 percent). North Platte outrebounded Northeastern 48-35 and posted seven assists to Northeastern’s 11. Turnover tallies are inconsistent across sources: the official box table lists turnovers at 16-16, but Coach Jacob Brandl said, “It was disappointing to see us have 17 turnovers when we have been so good.” Brandl added measured praise and critique throughout his postgame comments: “It wasn’t the cleanest game for us offensively but we found a way to get it done,” “Defensively thought we were really good!” and “Proud of effort and toughness to stick with it and make big plays in crucial situations.”

For Logan County readers who follow regional college hoops, this game underscores how critical late-game execution and foul-line performance can be in tight Region 9 South races. The Knights now travel to Western Nebraska Community College, listed as 6-16 in one report, with tipoff set for 4 p.m. at the Cougar Palace in Scottsbluff on Sunday. Stat questions remain for verification before final box-score publication, including the official turnover total and which players sank the late free throws that decided the game.

Beyond wins and losses, close contests like this maintain community engagement, support for student-athlete opportunities, and the local businesses that benefit from game-day crowds. As North Platte presses its conference run, those regional ripple effects on youth sports pipelines, campus life, and community morale will be worth watching.