First years can be tough but we had great guys that played hard and we are thankful for their efforts. Moving forward, we need to make positive strides to compete at the national level. Every day is an opportunity to be better.”

Coach Bill Engel

CASPER – The 2024-2025 season came to a close for the Eastern Wyoming College (EWC) Lancers basketball team with a 98-76 loss to Casper College at the NJCAA Region IX play-in game hosted Casper on Saturday, March 8.

Casper College controlled the scoreboard in the first 20 minutes of regulation to pull ahead by 19 points at halftime, 56-35.

EWC fought back to close the deficit in the second half, tallying 41 points to 42 by Casper College, but the Lancers ultimately came up short on the final scoreboard.

“We had a rough six or seven minutes in the first half that was the difference in the game,” coach Bill Engel said. “Casper played well and moved the ball and we struggled to catch up sprinting out of traps. Overall, it was a solid effort – it re-emphasizes the importance of every possession.”

The Lancers are looking forward to next year with Engel at the helm of the program for his second season at EWC.

“First years can be tough but we had great guys that played hard and we are thankful for their efforts,” Engel added. “Moving forward, we need to make positive strides to compete at the national level. Every day is an opportunity to be better.”

Three Lancers scored double digits against Casper College, led by freshman LaThario Miller with 19 points. Freshmen Jaironn Speights and Russell Moorer netted 13 points and 10 points, respectively.

Freshman Jumarion Weh collected eight points, freshman Alain Nziza six with five apiece from freshmen Vukasin Spasojevic and Nathan Mirich. Sophomore Bilal Cisse contributed four points while freshman Jouk Mayan, sophomore Rodrigo Sanchez and freshman Chris Pitts each tossed in two.

Speights led on the boards with five rebounds and delivered two assists. Moorer and freshman Javier Gonzalez both wrangled two steals while Speights, Miller and Cisse each reached up for one block.