by Alan Hoskins, KCKCC
Balance can sometimes be an over-used term when it comes to basketball but not so in Kansas City Kansas Community College’s 97-57 win over Saint Mary junior varsity in Leavenworth Tuesday.
Ten Blue Devils played and all 10 scored at least nine points – but no one with more than 11. In addition, eight Blue Devils had rebounds and eight had assists.
The win, KCKCC’s second in its last three games, brings the Blue Devils home for the first time in nearly three weeks. On the road for their last five games and 9 of 11 this season, the Blue Devils are home for the final three games in December starting Friday against Washburn University junior varsity at 7 p.m.
Jaemaal Newton led KCKCC at Saint Mary, hitting 4-of-5 shots for 11 points. Three Blue Devils had 10 points, Robert Rhodes, Calvin Slaughter and Tyione Gilmore, and a half-dozen scored nine points each – Ezekiel Lopes, DeAngelo Ball, Jalen Davis, Jermaine Yarbough, Derin McDaniel and Tim Barbieri.
Offensively, the Blue Devils sizzled, shooting 73.5 percent from the field (36-of-49) and 60.0 percent from 3-point (12-of-20).
Gilmore was a perfect 5-of-5, Rhodes 5-of-6 and Lopes, Ball, Slaughter and Barbieri each 3-of-4.
Six Blue Devils had 3-pointers with Lopes and McDaniel each knocking down three and Davis and Barbieri two. Combined, the quartet was 10-for-12 from the perimeter.
KCKCC had 23 assists on 36 field goals; Lopes and McDaniel leading with five each and Slaughter with four.
With few rebounds to be had because of the torrid KCKCC shooting, the Blue Devils had only a 27-26 edge with Yarbough pulling down five and Lopes, Davis, Newson and Rhodes four each. Rhodes also had three blocked shots.
“A good team effort,” KCKCC coach Brandon Burgette said. “We’re building to finish strong the first semester and build momentum.”
Next week, the Blue Devils are home to State Fair on Tuesday at 7 p.m. and Southwestern (Iowa) Saturday at 4 p.m. to wrap up the first half of the season.