BUTLER, Pa. — Playing without the services of points guards Kenny Jernigan Jr. and Marcus Heard, the Jamestown Community College men’s basketball team was still able to come away with an 88-75 NJCAA win over Butler County CC on Wednesday night.

Nate Pelissier and Tyairus Sands led the from the point for the winners, who improved to 9-6 after returning for their second semester of play.

Pelissier finished with 24 points, Sands had 15, Jared Fish added 14 and Jaleel Gilliam chipped in with 11.

“We knew we were going to come in facing some adversity given the fact that our point guards weren’t with us,” said Jayhawks coach Xavier Churnac. “We had some guys slide up to the point guard spot and it took us some time to get used to it. Then we stepped it up in the second half and locked it down defensively. Nate and Ty did a pretty good job playing the point for us, for their first time.”

The biggest key for Churnac’s team on Wednesday was a good defensive effort against Joel Stutz, who entered the day averaging nearly 30 points a game after dropping 36 on the Jayhawks earlier in the year.

“That was the key to victory. I think we did a good job on him defensively. We had to try and make somebody else beat us.”

Stutz was held to 18 points, while Jace Stutz added 13 and Andrew Yonker 17 for the hosts.

The Jayhawks’ scheduled game on Saturday against the CC of Allegheny County has been canceled, according to the school’s athletic department. Therefore, their next game will be against Herkimer College at the Monroe CC Tournament on Jan. 19.

JAMESTOWN CC (88)

Fish 7 0-0 14, Pelissier 8 7-8 24, Rumley 5 0-0 13, Sands 7 0-2 15, Gilliam 3 4-4 11, Mosquea 2 0-0 4, Tchinkati 4 0-0 8. Totals 36 11-14 88.

BUTLER (75)

Jc. Stutz 3 4-5 13, Jl. Stutz 6 3-6 18, Knochel 5 0-0 13, Yonker 6 0-0 17, Sager 3 0-0 7, Campbell 1 2-2 3, Haas 1 0-0 3. Totals 25 9-13 75.

3-point goals: Rumley 2, Sands, Gilliam, Jc. Strutz 3, Jl. Strutz 3, Knochel 3, Yonker 5, Sager, Haas.

Halftime–Jamestown CC 41, Butler CC 41.