Pirate's basketball took their fourth loss in the last five games on Wednesday night when they fell to region foe Metropolitan CC 69-62 on the road. The team is now 15-8 overall and 1-2 in Region 16 play.  They will look to right the ship on Saturday when they host St. Louis CC.  That day the team will honor their sophomore athletes plus the 2026 NCMC Athletics Hall of Fame class will be inducted.

Against MCC, James Porter III led the Pirates with a game-high 22 points, shooting an efficient 9-of-13 from the field and knocking down his lone three-pointer. Porter logged 38 minutes and consistently provided scoring punch for NCMC on the offensive end.

Grant Redd added 13 points on 4-of-7 shooting and went 5-of-6 at the free-throw line. He also pulled down five rebounds and contributed defensively as the Pirates kept pace for much of the contest. Deng Gak chipped in eight points, six rebounds, and a block, while Kalen Streit finished with five rebounds and steady play in his 27 minutes.

Camden Brown contributed on both ends with three rebounds and two steals, and the Pirates received solid bench efforts from Jon Jon Neff, Za'Corrie Kerr, and Talan Holt, who combined for 11 points.

North Central shot 50 percent from the field and 77 percent at the free-throw line, but Metropolitan's three-point shooting and second-chance opportunities proved to be the difference down the stretch.