EPHRAIM, Utah – The Western Nebraska Community College men’s basketball team wrapped up the first semester falling to Utah State Eastern at the Snow College Holiday Invitational on Saturday 87-72.
The Cougars finish the first semester at 3-10 and will return to action in January 2026 when they travel to face Casper College and Gillette College on January 7 and 8 before hosting Northeastern Junior College on January 10 to open South Conference play.
The other game of the Snow College Holiday Classic Saturday saw No. 2 Snow College top Casper College 103-68.
WNCC led early in the first half when Viktor Lukic-Gavric scored for the 2-1 lead. After that, Utah State Eastern led 9-2. WNCC sliced the deficit to 15-10 on a Xavier Kirkpatrick 3-pointer. WNCC couldn’t get any closer as Utah State Eastern led 47-39 at halftime.
The second half saw the Cougars get the score to within five points, 47-42 on a Toms Linis bucket but Utah State Eastern pushed the lead back to double digits with 16:56 to play at 54-44. WNCC trailed 66-54 with 12:04 to play on an Isaiah St. Preux old-fashioned 3-point play. That is when the Cougars would go scoreless for the next three minutes as Utah State Eastern went up 72-54 before Witold Czerenkiewicz made a 3-pointer. WNCC never could get within single digits the rest of the way.
WNCC shot 41 percent from the field and made 12 3-pointers. Utah State Eastern did their damage from the field and free throw line, shooting 55 percent with just five 3-pointers. At the free throw line, Utah State Eastern went 22-of-34 while WNCC was just 10-of-14 from the charity stripe.
WNCC won the rebound battle 36-35, led by Lukic-Gavric with nine rebounds followed by five each from Linis and Max Orchard.
WNCC had three players in double figures. Lukic-Gavric tallied 17 points while St. Preux had 14 and Linis had 11 points.

WNCC 39 33 – 72
USU-Eastern 47 40 – 87
WNCC
Viktor Lukic-Gavric 17, Isaiah St. Preux 14, Toms Linis, Kellon Harris 7, Melchi Egbeyemi 6, Amare Jackson 6, Xavier Kirkpatrick 3, Witold Czerenkiewicz 3, Max Orchard 3, Noah Jones 2.
UTAH STATE EASTERN
Bowen Davies 19, Ike Palmer 18, Kayin Turner 17, Robbie Yates 8, Seven Bahati 7, Isaac Castanetto 6, Liam Davis 5, Weston Johnson 3, Justin Anderson 2, Ethen Stoddard 2.