Month: December 2015

All Blue Devils score and rebound in biggest output of year

by Alan Hoskins

Freshman center Jonathan Murray was nearly perfect in shooting Tuesday as he led Kansas City Kansas Community College to a 112-68 win over Ottawa University’s JV.

A 6-9 center from Macon, Mo., Murray was 12-of-13 from the field in a career high 25-point performance along with seven rebounds and two assists.

“Jon Murray had a great game tonight for one reason and one reason only – he was aggressive,” said KCKCC coach Kelley Newton.

The win boosted the Blue Devils to 6-5 heading into a home contest with Westminster JV Friday at 7 p.m.

Seven other Blue Devils scored eight or more points as all 13 Blue Devils scored and had rebounds. Mike Lee added 12 points, Armoni Shorter 11, Trevor Young 10, Dehaven Talley, Joe Lendway and Xavier Gaona 9 each and Donald Metoyer 8.

Devante Sayles and Mike Lee quarterbacked the Blue Devils’ biggest offensive outburst of the season with eight assists apiece while Shorter, Young and Metoyer led KCKCC to a 55-24 domination of the rebounding with eight each.

“We needed a game like this for this team to gain some confidence,” Newton said. “I think we are figuring out how to play hard consistently and this has started to show the last four games. If this young team figures this all out, we could be dangerous.”

Leading by only six points midway through the first half, the Blue Devils surged to a 51-34 halftime lead and then poured in a season-high 61 second half points on 66.7 percent shooting (24-of-36).

Alan Hoskins is the sports information director at KCKCC.

Feilhaber named to MLS Best XI

Benny Feilhaber, Sporting Kansas City midfielder, was chosen for the Major League Soccer Best XI in recognition of his outstanding performance through the 2015 season.

The 30-year-old midfielder had a record year setting career highs in goals, with 10, and assists, with 15, during the regular season.

The Landon Donovan MLS MVP finalist was one of four players to register double-digits in both goals and assists and became just the third player in Kansas City history to reach that milestone in a single season.

“It’s a huge honor to be selected for the Best XI,” Feilhaber said. “I owe my success to all my teammates this year and I can’t wait to get back on the field for Sporting KC next season to win more championships.”

Feilhaber’s 15 MLS assists in 2015 ranked second behind only Toronto FC Designated Player Sebastian Giovinco (16) and tied with Philadelphia Union midfielder Cristian Maidana. The Rio de Janeiro-born midfielder set the club record with 20 assists in all competitions, adding five en route to Sporting Kansas City’s third Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup championship.

In his fifth MLS season and third with Sporting Kansas City, Feilhaber earned his first MLS All-Star selection and was named Etihad Airways MLS Player of the Month recognition in April, recording two goals and three assists during the month.