WORTHINGTON - The Ridgewater College Warriors lost two close games to senior college junior varsity teams to open the season under first-year coach Shawn Kopischke.
Wesley Kitt, a sophomore guard from Omaha, Neb., led the scoring with 32 points during a 74-70 loss to Northwestern College on Friday and 15 on Saturday in an 85-84 loss to the University of Sioux Falls JV.
Ridgewater College plays both Friday and Saturday evening at home.
Sioux Falls JV 85, Ridgewater 84
The Warriors led all but the final two seconds when a Cougars' lay-up won the game. Marcus Smith added 16 points, Dante Bogard 13 and Preston Looman and Jake Meyers 10 each. Larry Player snagged seven rebounds and Kitt made seven assists.
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Ridgewater, which owned a 45-38 halftime lead, canned 18 of 23 free throws after making 20 of 23 on Friday.
Ridgewater (0-2)......45 39-84
Sioux Falls JV........38 47-85
RIDGEWATER - 27 FG (12 3 pt); 18-23 FT; 31 rebounds; 27 fouls .... Scoring: Marcus Smith 16, Wesley Kitt 15, Dante Bogard 13, Preston Looman 10, Jake Meyers 10, Geoff Nelson 7, Shawn Thissen 6, Larry Player 3, Tony Kley 2, Nate Kopischke 2, .... 3-point shots: Kitt 3, Bogard 2, Nelson 1, Looman 1, Smith 3, Meyers 2 .... Rebound leader: Player 7, Bogard 5, Kopischke 3, Kley 3, Nelson 3 .... Assist leader: Kitt 7, Bogard 2, Nelson 2, Smith 2, Thissen 2 .... Steal leader: Kitt 3, Smith 2, Kopischke 1, Shawn Thissen 1, Player 1 ... Blocked shots: Smith 1
UNIVERSITY OF SIOUX FALLS JV - No statistics available.
Result Friday
Northwestern JV 74, Ridgewater 70
Wesley Kitt scored 32 points and Dante Bogard and Jake Meyer added a dozen each in the Warriors' opener.
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Ridgewater (0-1)........33 37-70
Northwestern JV.........37 37-74
RIDGEWATER - 21 FG (8 3 pt); 20-23 FT.... Scoring: Wesley Kitt 32, Dante Bogard 12, Jake Meyers 12, Nathan Kopischke 3, Travis Epema 4, Marcus Smith 4, Tony Kley 4 .... 3-point shots: Bogard 2, Kitt 3, Kopischke 1, Epema 1, Meyers 1 .... Rebound leader: not available.
NORTHWESTERN JV - Statistics not available.
