Wayne State College men’s basketball opened their 2024-25 season with two wins in the Missouri Western Classic in St. Joseph, Missouri.
On Friday, Nov. 8, WSC began their season against Emporia State and defeated them 67-66. Senior guard Sean Stokes made a mid-range jumper with four seconds remaining to give the Wildcats a one-point win over the Hornets.
“The team’s energy was amazing, and it felt great to make the game winning shot,” Stokes said. “Overall, I was just happy we won the game, and we fought to the end.”
The Hornets held the lead for most of the first half, but the Wildcats were never far behind. The second half saw WSC take as big as a four, but it was quickly erased and the opposition took back control. The biggest lead Emporia State had was seven points with nine minutes left to go, and from that point on, the Wildcats slowly chipped away at the lead.
“We went into these games knowing we had a lot to prove and respect to earn,” Stokes said. “I think we took a step towards that.”
Every Wildcat that saw playing time got into the scoring column. Stokes helped lead the way in scoring with 12 points, tying him with true freshman forward Matt Noll, who also had a team-high seven rebounds. Sophomore guard JJ Ferrin also hit double-digit scoring with 11.
Head Coach Jeff Kaminsky said the team responded well to a challenging opening weekend tournament.
“It was our first 2-0 start in the history of this conference challenge tournament that began in 2014,” Kaminsky said. “We had a good blend of experience that includes four seniors and a talented group of underclassmen.”
On Sunday, Nov. 20, WSC on arguably it’s biggest test during the event in the No. 20 Northwest Missouri State Bearcats. In a back-and-forth affair, the Wildcats outlasted the Bearcats after taking control late to pull off the upset 75-64.
The Wildcats were led by Ferrin who scored a game high 20 points off the bench. Cody McCullough assisted in scoring 17 points and Jay Saunders finished with 14.
“Our team did an outstanding job of responding to another challenging game against 20th ranked Northwest Missouri State to get another win and finish off a successful weekend,” Kaminsky said.
Stokes said that they still have a lot to prove.
“For us, it was a step towards earning respect,” Stokes said. “We are happy we had a successful weekend, but nowhere near satisfied.”
The Wildcats will play their home opener on Friday, Nov. 15 at 6:30 p.m. hosting Barclay College of Kansas. The game will be played at Rice Auditorium on the campus of WSC.
“We are always excited to play at home and defend our court,” Stokes said. “I am hoping to see the crowd fill the gym and have great energy.”
