by Alan Hoskins, KCKCC
The Blue Devils of Kansas City Kansas Community College will get one more shot at No. 7 ranked Johnson County.
A 73-66 home win over Highland Saturday vaulted the Blue Devils (20-11) into the Region VI Division II playoff semifinals at JCCC (25-5) Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. immediately following the JCCC-Hesston women’s semifinals at 5:30 p.m.
KCKCC’s No. 11 ranked women will be in the other Region VI semifinals Tuesday, playing host to No. 4 ranked Highland at 7 p.m.
Tuesday’s KCKCC-JCCC clash will be the third meeting of the two teams, the Cavaliers winning 86-72 on the road and 71-59 at home. However, JCCC has lost three of its last four games to Brown Mackie, Highland and Hesston.
“Johnson County is really good,” KCKCC coach Kelley Newton said. “We’ve got to be ready for Tuesday because it’s going to be a dogfight.”
KCKCC posted a three-game sweep over Highland, winning the first two meetings in the closing minutes. Saturday they did it to start a second half that started 26-26, holding the Scotties scoreless the first five minutes while surging to a 36-26 lead and staying in front the rest of the way.
Three times Highland got within four points. Dehaven Talley turned back the first two rallies with a three-pointer and two free throws; Mike Lee choked off the final threat with a trey and a layup to help rebuild the lead to 54-45 with 4:10 left.
The Blue Devils were just 7-of-22 from three-point range but all seven treys were critical. In addition to those by Talley and Lee, Kellan Turner and Armonti Shorter each had a pair in a first half that had five ties and six lead changes and Turner had another that pushed KCKCC to its biggest lead of the second half 39-28.
“Quality threes, very timely,” Newton said.
A trio of guards combined for 48 points to lead the Blue Devil offense. Shorter had a career high 20 points including 8-of-9 free throws and six rebounds, Lee had 15 points and Turner 13 including three threes. Lee also came close to a triple double, handing out 10 assists and leading all rebounders with seven. The guard contributions were critical because the Blue Devils’ five big men managed a combined 11 shots, the most four by Jonathan Murray who made three and finished with 13 points.
“Getting out in front the start of the second half was big for us,” Newton said. “We had one opportunity the first half when we got out in front 26-20 but they scored the last six for a halftime tie. It was important in the second half that we got the stops and were able to score. The first half we were able to get stops but couldn’t score.”
Outshot 44 percent to 36 percent, the Blue Devils were 12-of-23 for 52.2 percent the second half, made 20 of 26 free throws and outrebounded the Scotties 16-11.
Alan Hoskins is the sports information director at KCKCC.