Month: November 2017

KCKCC schedules listening sessions in presidential search

Kansas City Kansas Community College has scheduled two public listening sessions to gather response from community residents about the college’s presidential search.

According to a college spokesman, information received from the public will be used to develop the job description for the position of president.

The KCKCC board accepted the retirement of Doris Givens, KCKCC president, in September. The interim president is Jackie Vietti.

The college spokesman said that a search firm, Pauly Group, has been hired to conduct the national presidential search. The search process is expected to begin after the holidays, the spokesman said.

The first community listening session will be from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 7, at the Schlitterbahn main entry building, 94th and State Avenue, Kansas City, Kansas.

The second community listening session is scheduled from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. Friday, Dec. 8, at the Main Kansas City, Kansas, Public Library, 7th and Minnesota Avenue, Kansas City, Kansas.

The listening sessions are open to the public.

Road trips prove unfriendly to Blue Devil men

by Alan Hoskins, KCKCC

The road continued to be unfriendly to Kansas City Kansas Community College’s young men’s basketball team Monday as the Blue Devils dropped a 66-57 decision to Washburn University’s junior varsity in Topeka.

It was the fourth straight loss on the road for the Blue Devils, who fell to 4-6 overall heading into another road test at Park University’s junior varsity Wednesday in Topeka. The Blue Devils then return home Friday to play host to North Arkansas at 7 p.m. It was North Ark who started KCKCC’s road losing skid with an 87-84 win Nov. 15.

KCKCC actually had a 21-20 edge in field goals at Washburn but the Ichabods (5-1) had nine 3-pointers to three for the Blue Devils and converted 17-of-23 free throws.

Defensively, the Blue Devils led by 6-9 freshman Tyson Beringer, limited Washburn to just 29.9 percent shooting (20-of-67) and won the rebounding battle 47-42. Beringer blocked seven shots, scored eight points and led in rebounds with 10 while flirting with a rare triple-double.

Dion Union was the only Blue Devil in double figures with 18 points. DuVonte Beard and Andrew Williams each added seven points and seven rebounds while Zion Buckner also had seven points, Solomon Thomas led in assists with four along with six points,

Three-point shooting ultimately was the difference in the outcome, Washburn scoring 27 points on 9-of-22 while KCKCC was just 3-of-14 fir 21.4 percent.

“Still a working process with all these young guys,” KCKCC coach Kelley Newton said. “We played harder on defense but could not score the ball.”

KCKCC women get 10th win; can avenge lone loss Friday

by Alan Hoskins, KCKCC

Fired by a big second quarter, Kansas City Kansas Community College’s young women’s basketball team rolled to a 78-58 win over Washburn University’s junior varsity in Topeka Monday.

Their 10th win in 11 starts and fourth in a row, the Lady Blue Devils now get a chance to avenge their only loss of the season when they play host to North Arkansas Friday at 5 p.m. North Ark took a 78-75 win in Harrisonville Nov. 15. The game will be followed by a KCKCC-North Ark men’s game at 7 p.m.

Leading just 13-12 after one quarter, the Blue Devils broke the game open with a 30-12 second period, a quarter in which they were 10-for-17 from the field including 6-of-10 3-pointers.

Miya Ford, Tee Martin and Camryn Swanson each had a pair of first-half treys and all finished with eight points while Kisi Young led KCKCC to a 43-24 halftime lead with 10 of her 16 points.

Lillie Moore and Ashley Daniels off the bench led the Blue Devils in the second half. Moore had 16 points, 14 in the second half on 7-of-9 shooting, and led all rebounders with 11 rebounds for a double-double while Daniels was 3-of-5 from 3-point on the way to 13 points.

Alix Wilson had six assists and Caitlyn Stewart five in directing the offense while Nija Collier added six rebounds and Daniels five as KCKCC won the board battle 43-37.

“A great win for our team,” KCKCC coach Joe McKinstry said. “We played as well in the second quarter as we have all year. Our defensive effort was fantastic and we did a great job of making things difficult for Washburn’s offense. Washburn threw some different looks at us defensively and I was very proud of our execution that helped us build our lead going into halftime.”

Defensively the Blue Devils limited Washburn to just 21-of-62 shots for 33.9 percent and forced the Lady Ichabods into 18 turnovers although guilty of 18 turnovers themselves.

‘We got tired late in the game and that’s to be expected after just two practices in the last nine days but I am very proud of our girls and their efforts tonight,” McKinstry said.