by Alan Hoskins, KCKCC
Kansas City Kansas Community College couldn’t match its defensive effort offensively and dropped a 66-54 decision to Garden City in the opening round of the Garden City Classic Friday night.
The loss dropped the Blue Devils to 0-2 heading into a clash with Northeast Colorado Saturday and a Tuesday matchup at North Arkansas.
Facing a Garden City team that averaged 112 points and was shooting 54 percent in two opening wins, the Blue Devils held the Broncbusters to just 36 percent from the field.
However, the Blue Devil offense was limited to 18-point performances by Mike Lee and Jon Murray. Murray and Lee also had 10 rebounds each but no one else scored more than six points for the Blue Devils, who shot 34.4 percent and were outrebounded 47-41.
Taking advantage of 11 KCKCC turnovers, Garden City opened a 30-24 halftime lead as Ben Howze and John Fleming combined for 17 points. The Broncbusters widened the lead to 44-29 with a 14-5 run in the first eight minutes of the second half and then turned back every KCKCC comeback attempt.
The Blue Devils return home for the Keith Lindsey Classic Nov. 11 and 12, and will be the host of Link Year Prep Friday at 8 p.m. and Livin’ The Dream Saturday at 6 p.m. The Lindsey Classic will also feature the KCKCC Athletic Hall of Fame inductions Friday of Dennis Tinnon, the nation’s leading rebounder and fifth leading scorer in 2011; and the 1996-67 women’s basketball team that finished 35-2 and finished fifth in the NJCAA Division I national tournament. The inductions will come between the KCKCC women’s game against Saint Mary JV and the men’s game against Link Year Prep (about 7:45 p.m.).