Month: April 2021

Late block vaults Blue Devils into playoff title game

KCKCC holds off Labette 64-59; rematch with No. 1 JCCC in Wichita Saturday

by Alan Hoskins, KCKCC sports information

Kansas City Kansas Community College is one win from another trip to the NJCAA Division II national women’s basketball tournament courtesy of the Blue Devils’ biggest win of the season.

Trailing by as many as 15 points in the first half, the Blue Devils surged to a 12-point lead in the second half and then had to hold on for dear life for a 64-59 win over Labette.

The win vaulted the fifth ranked Blue Devils into the Plains Region VI championship game against unbeaten and No. 1 ranked Johnson County Saturday at Friends University in Wichita. Tipoff is at noon.

The game will be streamed on the KJCCC website. JCCC (19-0) defeated Highland 80-41 in Wednesday’s other semifinal.

The Blue Devils led 62-52 with four minutes to go only to have the Cardinals close to 62-59 and set up the biggest play of the game – a block of a game-tying 3-point attempt by Labette’s Tamiah Robinson by 5-7 sophomore guard Aliyah Myers with 23 seconds remaining. The block was recovered by KCKCC’s Mercer Roberts, who made two game-clinching free throws with 19.7 seconds to go.

“Great job defensively by Aliyah,” KCKCC coach Joe McKinstry said. “We were fortunate to be ahead by three instead of two when they’d probably go for the basket. And then Mercer was strong in getting the rebound and stepping up and making those free throws.”

KCKCC scored the first seven points of the game only to have the Cardinals finish the first quarter on a 23-5 run and a 23-12 lead. Labette’s biggest lead ballooned to 27-12 before D.J. Guillory got things reversed, scoring 13 of her game high 14 points in the first half.

The Blue Devils finally went ahead for good on a Myers’ 3-pointer and an Ikla Elam layup early in the third quarter. Outscoring Labette 20-10 in the third quarter, KCKCC led 54-45 after three periods and widened the margin to 52-40 with four minutes to go and before winning a close race to the finish.

“Even though I was not happy at the end of the first quarter, I said ‘We’re all right,’ we just have to play our way and for us to respond with a 22-12 second quarter and get within one at the half was huge,” McKinstry said. “Guillory was terrific in the second quarter. She knocked down a three, drove to the back and was huge on defense.”

Without a field goal the final 4:29, the Blue Devils were just 3-of-17 on fourth quarter shots for a frigid 17.6 percent. Unable to convert any of their last five shots, the Blue Devils resorted to defense highlighted by big defensive rebounds by Guillory and Roberts and culminated by Myers’ game-saving block of Robinson’s hurried 3-point attempt.

In addition to Guillory’s 14 points and seven rebounds, KCKCC got 11 points and five rebounds from Elam and 10 points from Jewell Hart, who was playing in only her second game after sitting out most of the season with an injury. Myers added seven points, eight rebounds and six assists, Tiaria Earnest five points and three assists and Roberts six points and seven rebounds.

Blue Devil reserves were also pivotal, getting five points from D.Q. Guillory and key field goals from Aysia Arrowood and Faith Putz and outscoring the Cardinals 23-11. In addition, KCKCC had just eight turnovers to 18 from Labette although the Cardinals had a 54-44 rebound edge and outshot the Blue Devils .347-.333.

“While they didn’t score a lot, Murcer, Hart and Elam made things difficult and had some big shots and rebounds,” McKinstry said. “They (Labette) scored 70 points on us a week ago so I was pleased we held them to 59 points. And we won the second half rebound battle.”

Saturday’s meeting will be the third between JCCC and KCKCC, the Cavaliers winning 65-53 and 75-55 for the Blue Devils (19-2) only losses of the season. However, in 2016, the Blue Devils dropped a 91-61 decision at JCCC only to come back in two weeks to defeat the Cavaliers 73-66 in the regional title game on the way to cruising to the national championship.

Police to begin towing vehicles with expired tags more than 45 days past due on May 1

Beginning on Saturday, May 1, the Kansas City, Kansas, Police Department will begin towing any vehicles displaying tags that are more than 45 days past their renewal date.

Last March, in response to the COVID-19 epidemic, Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly signed Executive Order 20-66, extending the deadline for vehicle renewals and new vehicle registrations. An additional extension in September specified that all vehicle renewals and new registrations needed to be completed by Dec. 31, 2020.

“The Kansas City, Kansas Police Department understands that while the extensions were very helpful, they may have caused some confusion for members of our community,” Major Kelly Herron, assistant chief, said in a news release Friday. “For that reason, we made the decision to delay towing orders in Kansas City, Kansas, until May 1 to allow us time to educate the community on the consequences of expired tags.”

After May 1, officers with the KCKPD can, and will cite any individual driving a vehicle with tags whose renewal or registration is 45 days past due and order its immediate towing, according to police.

Additionally, any vehicle parked on a city street with tags or registration 45 days past due, will also be subject to immediate towing.

Owners are then responsible for all fees associated with towing ($125) and storage of the vehicle ($35 a day), a police spokesman stated. Vehicles will only be released once owners present proof of current registration to the towing company.

“Delaying renewal or registration any longer means you could end up with a hefty bill as fees add up quickly,” Herron said. “We really hate to see that happen, but we are well past the governor’s deadline and still have many vehicles out there driving around with tags that are more than six months past due, and equally concerning, without proper insurance. So our plea to the community is act now so that we don’t have to tow you later – nobody wants that.”

Below are the ways in which tags may currently be renewed:
• on your cell phone with the myWYCO app.
• online at mywyco.wycokck.org.
• by placing renewal documents and payment in the drop-off box located outside the Wyandotte County Annex, 8200 State Ave.
• by mailing renewal documents and payment to 710 N 7th St., Suite
240, Kansas City, KS 66101.

If mailing, be sure to include a copy of insurance and note your license plate number in the check notation

To determine if you can drop off or mail in titling on a new vehicle, complete the online eligibility form at wycokck.org/Auto. If eligible you need to send the original signed title, copy of insurance, copy of your valid driver’s license and the vehicle inspection certificate (if purchased outside Kansas). Additional documentation may be required.

For more information, or if you have questions, visit wycokck.org/Auto or email the Wyandotte County Treasurer’s Office at [email protected] with questions.

Sunny today, showers tonight

Showers and thunderstorms will affect the area tonight into Saturday morning, according to the National Weather Service forecast.

The storms are not expected to be severe, however, they will be capable of producing one to two inches of rain, which could lead to localized flooding, the weather service said.

Today, it will be sunny, with a high near 73, the weather service said. A west wind of 6 mph will become north in the afternoon.

Tonight, there is an 80 percent chance of rain and thunderstorms, according to the weather service. Rain and storms are possible before 11 p.m., then again between 11 p.m. and 1 a.m., followed by more rain and possibly a thunderstorm after 1 a.m. Some storms could produce heavy rainfall. The low will be around 47 with a north northwest wind of 7 to 11 mph, gusting as high as 18 mph. Between three-quarters and one inch are possible.

Saturday, there is an 80 percent chance of rain before 10 a.m., then more showers are likely, mainly between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m., the weather service said. The high will be near 58 with a northwest wind of 11 to 15 mph, gusting as high as 26 mph. Between a half and three-quarters of an inch of rain are possible.

Saturday night, it will be mostly cloudy, then gradually becoming clear, with a low of 41, according to the weather service. A northwest wind of 5 to 10 mph will become light west after midnight, with winds gusting up to 18 mph.

Sunday, it will be sunny, with a high near 72, the weather service said. A light southwest wind will increase to 6 to 11 mph in the morning. Winds may gust up to 22 mph.

Sunday night, it will be partly cloudy, with a low of 45, according to the weather service.

Monday, it will be mostly sunny, with a high near 61, the weather service said.

Monday night, it will be mostly clear, with a low of 39, according to the weather service.

Tuesday, it will be mostly sunny, with a high near 58, the weather service said.

Tuesday night, it will be mostly cloudy, with a low of 39, according to the weather service.

Wednesday, it will be partly sunny, with a high near 58, the weather service said.

Wednesday night, it will be mostly cloudy, with a low of 40, according to the weather service.

Thursday, it will be partly sunny, with a high near 60, the weather service said.