by Alan Hoskins, KCKCC
It is said that before a young basketball team can run it must learn to walk.
Kansas City Kansas Community College’s freshman-dominated men took a major step in that direction Tuesday night.
Beaten at home 100-42 three weeks ago by an Iowa Western team ranked No. 16 in NJCAA Division I, the Blue Devils stayed within striking range from start to finish in an 84-72 loss – a 50-point improvement and on the Reivers’ home court.
Iowa Western improved to 14-2 with the win while the Blue Devils fell to 4-10 heading into the holiday break.
The Blue Devils don’t resume play until Jan. 6 when they play at On Point Academy in Oklahoma before returning home to play host in the Blue Devil Classic, a four-team event Jan. 12-13.
KCKCC will play Strength N Motion on Jan. 12 and Penn Valley Jan. 13. Fort Scott will be the fourth team and will face Penn Valley Jan. 12 and Strength N Motion Jan. 13.
Iowa Western never trailed Tuesday, jumping in front 10-2 and 17-5 in the opening five minutes but from there on the two teams basically traded baskets.
Closest KCKCC got was 47-41 late in the half but the Reivers’ domination of the rebounding enabled the hosts to maintain a double digit lead throughout the second half.
The Reivers’ 47-29 command of the boards included 20 offensive rebounds and a 23-8 advantage in second-chance points.
Iowa Western was also aided by 23 KCKCC turnovers that gave the Reivers a 23-12 edge in points scored off the mistakes. Iowa Western shot 51.6 percent in building a 49-41 halftime lead but was limited to 11 field goals in 40 second halaf attempts (.275) in only outscoring KCKCC 35-31.
Freshman guard Solomon Thomas led KCKCC with 23 points on 9-of-15 shooting while Zion Buckner added 12 points, Sterling Hicks 11, Malcom Tate 8 and DuVonte Beard and Tyson Beringer 6 each. Beringer also had eight rebounds and Hicks seven while Thomas led in assists with four.
Patrick Dembley had 23 points and Isaiah Wade 18 points and 12 rebounds to lead Iowa Western.