by Alan Hoskins, KCKCC
If the Kansas City Kansas Community College-Labette Jayhawk Conference women’s game had been a prize fight Wednesday, it would have been stopped in the first quarter.
Still smarting from their worst loss of the season at No. 1 ranked Johnson County a week ago, the Blue Devils scored the first nine points of the game and led 24-2 on the way to an 89-33 win.
It was the 24th win in 27 games for the No. 5 Blue Devils, who will close out regular season home play Saturday against Brown Mackie at 2 p.m.
“Great response by the ladies after having a bad taste in our mouth for a week,” said KCKCC coach Joe McKinstry. “I thought we did a great job of attacking Labette’s zone defense early in the game. We were aggressive but also shared the ball which resulted in good shots.”
The Blue Devils were 11 of 18 from the field including 7 of 12 from 3-point in the 30-9 first quarter and finished a 49-19 first half with 20 of 35 shots for 57.1 percent and just four turnovers. Even more impressive, the Blue Devils had 17 assists on the 20 first half field goals.
Erin Anderson led the first half assault with 15 points including a trio of 3-pointers and finished with 23 points while Brooklyn Wagler had her sixth double double of the season with 17 points and a game high 14 rebounds. Cheyenne North added 15 points and eight rebounds, Sierra Roberts 14 points including four 3-pointers and Brie Tauai and Janay Jacobs eight points each.
The Blue Devils finished with 26 assists on 34 baskets. Arrica Day led with six assists while Anderson and Robertson had four each and Wagler and North three apiece.
“Obviously there were some great individual performances but I was also pleased with our defensive effort for the entire 40 minutes,” McKinstry said. “We are capable of being a very good defensive team but we don’t always maintain it throughout the entire game. Tonight, we played hard for all four quarters.”
At 6-3 and third in the Region VI, the Blue Devils are assured of holding either a first- or second round playoff game.
“For this team to be sitting in the position they are heading into the final three games of the season says a lot about them as a team,” McKinstry said. “This group has persevered and overcome so many obstacles this season, some self-inflicted, some not. I’m incredibly proud to be their coach.”