by Alan Hoskins, KCKCC
Kansas City Kansas Community College’s defending national champions couldn’t make a fast early start hold up and dropped a 79-63 decision to North Central Missouri University in Trenton Tuesday night.
The Lady Blue Devils were right back in action today, playing Ottawa JV at 5 p.m. and No. 17 ranked Des Moines Area Community College Friday at 6 p.m. at home.
Led by sophomore Brie Tauai and freshman DaShundra Morgan, the Blue Devils raced to a 28-16 first quarter lead and had a 40-33 lead at halftime only to be outscored 26-7 in a decisive third quarter as the Lady Pirates opened a 59-47 lead.
Kendrey Eaton, a 5-6 guard, did most of the damage in the rally, draining three 3-pointers in a 12-point outburst. Eaton, who kept the Pirates in contention the first half with 14 points, finished with a game high 30 points while McKinley Hurley added 15 and Sarah Lamp 10.
Tauai led the Blue Devils with 15 points while sophomore newcomer Aeriel Holiday added 12; Morgan and Whitley Hazlett 9 points; and sophomore veterans Brooklyn Wagler and Valencia Scott 7 each. Morgan’s nine points came on a trio of 3-pointers while Tauai and Holiday each had a pair of treys.
“We aren’t a very good basketball team right now,” said KCKCC coach Joe McKinstry, who had only eight players at his disposal. “We have some things preventing us from having a full roster and we also have some players who are still trying to find their way. We’ll continue to work hard in an effort to get back from game-to-game. If this group puts its mind to it, I believe it will have a lot of success.”