by Alan Hoskins, KCKCC
Playing a second game within 24 hours didn’t slow Kansas City Kansas Community College’s women a single bit Wednesday.
Racing to a 16-2 lead in the opening minutes, the No. 8 ranked Lady Blue Devils (21-2) cruised to an 87-50 win at Fort Scott heading into a pivotal Jayhawk Conference game at unbeaten and No. 3 ranked Highland (17-0) Saturday. Both the women’s and men’s games will be streamed Saturday starting at 1 p.m.
A pair of 5-6 guards led KCKCC at Fort Scott. Sophomore Brodi Byrd matched her career scoring high with 23 points while freshman Tiaira Earnest recorded her first double-double with 14 points and a game and career-high 13 rebounds.
Earnest was 6-for-9 from the field including 2-of-3 three-pointers while Byrd knocked down 4-of-8 treys in a 9-of-17 shooting night.
“Tiaira Earnest was great off the bench,” KCKCC coach Joe McKinstry said. “She’s one of the smallest people on the floor but she’s also exceptionally quick and tough and her stat line tonight shows that.”
Kamryn Estell added 17 points and seven rebounds, Diamond Williams six points and a team leading four assists and Mercer Roberts five points and seven rebounds.
Ahead 23-10 after one quarter, KCKCC led 46-21 at the half.
“Overall, I was very pleased with our first half effort other than being 8-of-16 from the free throw line,” McKinstry said. “But our energy was good and we were 6-of-13 from three so we were stepping up and making shots.
“We dropped off a bit in the second half but overall I was happy,” he said. “It was our second game in 24 hours and I felt like we wanted heading into the game. We came out with great energy to start the game and led 16-2. We made some substitutions and I didn’t feel like all of them were ready to do the things the first group was doing. We need everyone in uniform to be ready and able to help us at any point in a game. We have full confidence in our roster from one to eleven.”
In other Jayhawk Conference play Wednesday, Highland stayed unbeaten with a 91-46 win at Hesston but No. 5 Johnson County was upset at home by Labette 65-63.