Category: KCKCC

Blue Devils seek Jayhawk Conference lead Wednesday

by Alan Hoskins, KCKCC

Kansas City Kansas Community College’s hard-charging Blue Devils bulled their way into the thick of the Jayhawk Conference men’s basketball race Saturday.

Handing Highland its most decisive loss of the season 91-73, the Blue Devils set up a home showdown with No. 11 ranked Johnson County Wednesday for undisputed possession of the conference lead they share at 3-1.

The win was the fourth in the row for the Blue Devils (11-12) and ended a streak of six straight losses at the hand of the Scotties (15-7).

Spectacular offensive performances by Jalen Davis, Deron McDaniel and Calvin Slaughter were the catalysts in the win at Highland. The trio combined for 14 3-point field goals and 68 points on 25-of-41 shooting as the Blue Devils sizzled from the field with 53.8 percent overall including 15-of-30 from the perimeter.

“Hats off to our guys,” KCKCC coach Brandon Burgette said. “A tremendous job and effort all around. To be able shoot better than 50 percent from the field and 50 percent from 3-point is amazing. We did a great job sharing the ball and our defensive effort the past three games has been phenomenal.”

Davis led all scorers with 29 points including 5-of-6 3-pointers in a 10-of-14 shooting effort; McDaniel knocked down 6-of-10 treys and handed out five assists in scoring 23 points; and Slaughter had a double-double with 17 points and 11 rebounds.

Jermaine Yarbough added eight points and Ezekiel Lopes seven. Led by Robert Rhodes’ 13 rebounds and Slaughter’s 11, the Blue Devils held their own on the boards (36-36).

Davis and Slaughter teamed up to put the Blue Devils in command by scoring 16 straight points early in the first half. Highland led 10-6 when Davis and Slaughter drained 3-pointers to put KCKCC ahead to stay 12-10 and over the next three minutes, each knocked down a trey and Slaughter a layup for a 20-10 lead. Lopes added a layup and two McDaniel 3-pointers finished off a 22-2 explosion that opened a 28-12 lead.

Davis finished the half with 21 points including all five of his 3-pointers; McDaniel added three treys and Slaughter two and each scored 10 points as KCKCC opened a 50-33 halftime lead.

Guilty of just two turnovers in the opening half (eight total), the Blue Devils were 18-of-35 (.514) and 10-of-21 from three (.476), Meanwhile, the Scotties were limited to 27-of-64 shots (.422) and just 5-of-15 from distance.

Highland twice got within six points in the second half. A McDaniel trey and Yarbough dunk stopped the first rally; a Slaughter 3-pointer and layup sandwiched around a Yarbough tip-in rejected the last challenge with five minutes remaining.

“We have had different guys step up each night and been shooting the ball exceptionally well, both keys to our wins,” Burgette said. “I told our guys to believe and they are trusting each other and believing. At the end of the year, we have to be at our best and we’re pushing along to being better every night.”

A 73-57 winner over Hesston Saturday, Johnson County will bring a 20-4 record into Wednesday’s 7:30 p.m. game at KCKCC. The game will follow KCKCC’s Academic Achievement Night ceremonies following the 5:30 p.m. women’s game. In Saturday’s other game, Fort Scott defeated Labette 74-55.

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.

by Alan Hoskins, KCKCC

Statistics will show Kansas City Kansas Community College scored more points, shot the ball better and had fewer turnovers at Fort Scott Wednesday night.

What the stats don’t show is the Blue Devils’ gutty defensive effort in a 75-64 win in which the Greyhounds were held to 11 points under their season average.

“Hats off to our guys for guarding their tails off,” KCKCC coach Brandon Burgette said. “We did a phenomenal job, making them make jump shots, making tough plays and playing hard for 40 minutes.”

The win was particularly significant in that Fort Scott (14-8) was coming off a 93-88 double overtime win at No. 5 Johnson County Saturday. The win also kept the Blue Devils (10-12) tied for the Jayhawk Conference lead with JCCC and Highland (all 2-1) heading into KCKCC’s game at Highland Saturday at 3 p.m.

A career night by former Harmon standout DeAngelo Bell led the Blue Devils at Fort Scott, A 5-9 guard, Bell scored a career high 22 points on 8-of-12 shooting from the field including 4-of-5 three-pointers. Jermaine Yarbough added 16 points on 7-of-10 chipping while Calvin Slaughter added nine points, Jalen Davis and Ezekiel Lopes eight each and Deron McDaniel six.

Outrebounded 48-30, the Blue Devils had two more field goals on 14 less shots but made 27-of-55 for 49.1 percent while the Greyhounds were limited to 25-of-69 for 36.2 percent. KCKCC’s 14 assists were led by Slaughter’s six and Bell’s three.

“A great job of creating shots for each other,” Burgette said.

Jumping out to an 8-2 lead, the Blue Devils built a 23-12 lead early before Fort Scott closed to 34-30 at the half. The Greyhounds pulled to 37-36 early in the second half when the Blue Devils took command with a game-breaking 18-5 run.

Lopes started it with a trey, Slaughter converted a three-point play and Bell scored on a layup and knocked down a three to make it 48-39. Yarbough added a jumper and Bell another 3-pointer for a 55-41 lead and the Blue Devil defense took it from there, turning back every Greyhound challenge.

“Big players made big plays and I couldn’t be more proud,” Burgette said. “DeAngelo (Bell) was huge for us and Calvin (Slaughter) played great, making big play after big defensively play, plays that don’t show up on the stat sheet but were huge for us.”

Elsewhere in the Jayhawk Wednesday, Highland (15-6) escaped Hesston 61-59 and Johnson County (19-4) held off Labette 79-22.