by Alan Hoskins
Rolling along with a 14-1 record and a No. 10 national ranking, Kansas City Kansas Community College hasn’t had many big games this season. The Lady Blue Devils do now.
Once-beaten Cowley College and winner of 13 in a row will invade the KCKCC Field House Saturday afternoon in the season’s first matchup of Jayhawk Conference powers. Game time is 2 p.m. and will be followed by a men’s clash at 4 p.m.
“Now is when the fun begins,” said KCKCC head coach Valerie Stambersky, who relishes taking on the best.
Other than their lone loss at unbeaten and No. 2 ranked Division I power Hutchinson, the Blue Devils have gone unchallenged this season. Outscoring opponents by 35 points a game, no other team has come closer than 15 points of the Blue Devils, who won their seventh in a row Tuesday with an 89-44 thumping of Saint Mary JV.
Cowley likewise has been dominating. After losing to Northern Oklahoma-Tonkawa 68-67 in their second game of the year, the Lady Tigers (14-1) avenged that loss with a 95-50 win and are averaging 76.6 points a game while giving up only 40.5 per contest.
Despite one of their poorer shooting performances (34.6 percent), the Blue Devils built a 47-23 halftime lead and went to the bench early and often in the win over Saint Mary JV.
Freshman Cheyenne North led the way with a 13-rebound, 11-point double double while Cierra Gaines led all scorers with 20 points and Janai Mitchell added eight points and seven rebounds.
Reserves accounted for most of the rest of the scoring. Freshman Sierra Roberts had a career high 16 points including four three-pointers; Arrica Daye 10 points and four assists; Rashaun Casey eight points and Iland Shurn seven and six rebounds. Cassidy Harbert led in assists with seven in just 16 minutes.
Alan Hoskins is the sports information director for KCKCC.