by Alan Hoskins, KCKCC
Kansas City Kansas Community College’s Blue Devils will try to make it three wins in a row Friday after cruising to a 65-43 win over Saint Mary junior varsity Thursday.
The Blue Devils will close out non-conference play Friday when they play host to Park University junior varsity in a 4 p.m. tipoff, a game that was originally scheduled for 8 p.m. but moved up because of possible inclement weather.
The Blue Devils never trailed after the opening minute against Saint Mary.
Led by freshman Calvin Slaughter and sophomore Malcolm Tate, the Blue Devils surged to a 34-17 halftime lead. Slaughter scored 11 points and DuVonte’ Beard 8 and both were 4-for-6 from the field. Closest the Spires could get in the second half was 41-33 before the Blue Devils pulled away.
A 6-2 guard from Macon, Georgia, Slaughter led all scorers with 15 points while Beard was 6-of-8 from the field in netting 12 points.
Sophomore Arother Ratliff and freshmen Kelyn Bolton and Cody Dortch each added seven points, Taylor Turner six and Jonathan Richmond five.
A freshman from Shawnee Mission East, Bolton also had a big night for assists, handing out a season high eight. Slaughter and Dortch added three apiece as the Blue Devils assisted on 16 of 27 field goals.
The Blue Devils won the rebound battle 44-25 with Daiyon Taylor and Slaughter pulling down six each and Bolton, Ratliff and Beard five apiece.
“Happy to win two in a row for the first time this season,” KCKCC coach Kelley Newton said. “We had too many turnovers. Just five at halftime but 10 the second half. The second half we were able to get some easy buckets in transition which was good but with the conference season opening next week we just have to get better.”
KCKCC plays host to Labette in the Blue Devils Jayhawk Conference opener at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday. In other openers, Highland plays at Johnson County and Fort Scott at Hesston.
