by Alan Hoskins, KCKCC
Kansas City Kansas Community College rebounded from a loss at nationally ranked Hutchinson with a fury.
Bolting to a 12-0 in the first two minutes, the Blue Devils led 17-2 just 4½ minutes into the game on the way to a 95-64 win Friday over On Point Hoops Academy of Reno, Oklahoma.
“We bounced back after a tough loss; good win, good effort,” KCKCC coach Brandon Burgette said.
The win came in the opening round of the annual KCKCC Classic. However, weather conditions forced cancellation of Saturday’s second round of three games in which both Blue Devil teams were scheduled to play Metropolitan Community College. No decision has been made on the possible rescheduling of the men’s game but the KCKCC women have replaced their game with Metro with a home contest with William Penn’s junior varsity at about 7 p.m. Tuesday. The game will follow a Bishop Ward High School game.
The Blue Devils came out sizzling against On Point, drilling 21-of-31 shots for a torrid 66.7 percent in building a 59-29 halftime lead. Calvin Slaughter had 15 points, Jalen Davis 13 and Ezekiel Lopes 10 to lead the way for the Blue Devils, who got a pair of 3-pointers each from Slaughter, Davis and Deron McDaniel.
Slaughter finished with a game-high 20 points, Lopes 19 and Davis 18 as the trio combined to nail 10-of-20 3-pointers. Lopes missed just one of five treys while Slaughter and Davis had three each and McDaniel two as the Blue Devils were 13-of-31 from the perimeter (.419).
Other production came from Jermaine Yarbough, 13 points and five rebounds; DeAngelo Ball, a game-high eight assists and seven points; and Robert Rhodes shared rebounding honors with Slaughter with eight while scoring seven points.
The Blue Devils scored 32 points off 22 On Point turnovers but were guilty of 21 of their own. KCKCC won the rebounding battle 42-34 and finished the game with 35 field goals in 62 attempts for 56.5 percent while limiting On Point to 35.9 percent.
The Blue Devils face yet another tough test when they return to action Monday, facing the NJCAA Division II’s No. 1 ranked team, North Central Missouri in Trenton.
KCKCC then returns home to play host to Saint Mary junior varsity Thursday and Park University junior varsity Friday, both at 7 p.m., before beginning Jayhawk Conference play at Labette Jan. 22.
