by Alan Hoskins, KCKCC
Kansas City Kansas Community College and Washburn University junior varsity matched field goal for field goal for 39 minutes before the Ichabods eked out an 80-77 win in Topeka Monday night.
There were eight lead changes and 10 ties before Washburn’s JoBreill Powell broke a 69-69 deadlock with a 3-point play with 3:27 remaining and the Ichabods stayed in front from the free throw line.
Arother Ratliff’s layup cut the Washburn lead to 72-71with 1:54 remaining but the Ichabods got two free throws from Isaiah Thorne and a field goal from Powell for a 76-71 lead.
Kelyn Bolton’s layup with 50 seconds left got KCKCC to 76-73 but the Ichabods converted four free throws in the closing seconds for the win.
“We are playing better with this young team,” KCKCC coach Kelley Newton said. “There is no doubt that when we figure things out it will be at the right time.”
KCKCC built an 8-point lead with 6:20 left in the first half and went into the halftime break with a 35-30 lead only to have the Ichabods rally behind spectacular second half shooting. The Ichabods took 21 shots, made 15 for a torrid 71.4 percent in outscoring KCKCC 50-42.
The hot shooing enabled Washburn to build a 9-point lead and the Blue Devils still trailed 68-60 with 6:18 to go before staging a furious rally for the 69-69 tie.
Taylor Turner’s two free throws and a DuVonte’ Beard field goal ignited the comeback. Malcolm Tate converted two free throws and Jalen Davis tied it with a field goal and free throw with 3:41 left.
Four Blue Devils scored in double figures in a well-balanced attack. Bolton, Tate and Daiyon Taylor each scored 13 points, Davis 11, Ratliff 8 and Beard and Calvin Slaughter 6 each.
KCKCC won the rebounding battle 36-27 with Bolton grabbing seven and Ratliff five as nine Blue Devils had two or more caroms. The Blue Devils also converted 21-of-24 free throws and forced 15 turnovers while committing just 10.
Powell had 21 points, Thorne 18 and David Jamaal 16 for Washburn (4-4), which drained 25-of-45 shots for 55.6 percent, 7-of-17 3-pointers (6-for-18 for KCKCC) and 23-of-31 free throws.
KCKCC (3-8) stays on the road, playing State Fair at 7 p.m. Saturday in Sedalia, Missouri, before closing out the pre-holiday season at home. Washburn comes in for a re-match Dec. 10 and Iowa Western Dec. 15.