Category: KCKCC

by Alan Hoskins, KCKCC

Kansas City Kansas Community College’s reign as the No. 1 team in NJCAA Division II women’s basketball will come to an end in early December.

No. 2 ranked Kirkwood Community College (4-0) assured that Saturday with a 70-50 win on its own floor in the Kirkwood Classic in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. The loss left the Blue Devils 4-1 heading into a 6 p.m. home game Tuesday with Park University junior varsity.

Inspired by the chance to knock off No. 1, Kirkwood scored the game’s first 19 points as the Eagles took advantage of a decided edge in experience (eight sophomores) and size (four 6-footers). But even then, the Eagles had to turn back a pair of Blue Devil comebacks.

Trailing 24-4 in the first quarter, KCKCC cut the deficit in half at 44-34 at halftime by knocking down 9-of-19 shots. The Eagles rebuilt a 52-34 lead to start the third quarter only to have the Blue Devils climb back within nine points with 8:39 left. However, they could get no closer.

“This was a great opportunity for us today,” KCKCC coach Joe McKinstry said. “Kirkwood is one of the premier programs in the country and has been for a long time (2017 and 2018 national champion). They’ve got a very good team again this year and I was proud of the way our girls battled and made them earn the victory.

“Anytime you spot a team a lead like we did (19-0), you make it hard on yourself but our girls fought hard and got themselves back in the game. For a very young and inexperienced group, that shows a lot about their toughness.”

KCKCC freshman Kamryn Estell led all scorers with 14 points and grabbed eight rebounds while the Blue Devils’ lone returning veteran, Brodi Byrd, added nine points, and freshman Tiaira Earnest eight. Kirkwood had five Eagles score in double figures but none had more than 11 points in a well-balanced offense.

Estell had 10 points and Byrd, Aliyah Myers, Mercer Roberts and Destiny Zamudio had 3-pointers in a 27-18 second quarter but the Blue Devils never shot better than 21 percent in the other three periods and finished at 27.3 percent from the field and .205 from the perimeter.

“We’ve got to get in the gym and increase our ability to make shots,” McKinstry said. “This group is very fast and all are capable of driving the basketball. They do a great job sharing the ball and creating open shots for one another. We just haven’t earned the right yet to make those shots at a consistent percentage. But we will get better.”

Defensively, KCKCC forced the Eagles into 21 turnovers while committing 19 but Kirkwood dominated the rebounding 47-33 and shot 38.2 percent from the field.

In addition to Tuesday’s home contest with Park junior varsity, the Blue Devils are also home for the Keith Lindsey Classic this coming weekend, with Southwestern (Iowa) visiting here Friday at 6 p.m. and North Central Missouri Saturday at 4 p.m. KCKCC’s reign as pre-season No. 1 will continue until December when the first regular poll is announced.

by Alan Hoskins, KCKCC

Kansas City Kansas Community College couldn’t quite catch up but the Blue Devils gave No. 6 ranked North Iowa Area Community College a heck of a scare in a 100-95 loss Friday night.

Trailing by as many as 25 points in the second half, the Blue Devils got to within four points with 1:37 left only to miss a pair of free throws and the unbeaten Trojans (3-0) escaped from the free throw line. It was the third straight game NIACC scored 100 points.

The loss was the first for the Blue Devils (1-1), who return to action Saturday against Ellsworth at 1 p.m. in the Konigsmark Klassic played in Mason City, Iowa.

“Proud of the way our guys battled back being down 25 points and cutting the lead to four,” KCKCC coach Brandon Burgette said. “If we take away two technicals, we are sitting in a good spot despite the 28 turnovers and the 18 missed layups in the first half.”

Sophomores Jalen Davis and Sevon Witt led the way with a combined 50 points. A 6-4 forward from Houston, Davis had a career high 30 points on 10 of 19 shooting along with eight rebounds while 6-8 Washburn transfer Sevon Witt had a double-double with 20 points and 11 rebounds.

Freshman Robert Rhodes of Park Hill South also had a double-double with 13 points and 11 rebounds.

Veteran Calvin Slaughter added 11 points and freshman Jermaine Yarbough seven.

KCKCC had a 64-49 rebounding advantage but the Trojans were 37-of-75 for 49.3 percent from the floor to 40.2 percent (33-of-82) for KCKCC. Also, the Blue Devils were just 5-of-17 from 3-point.

NIACC took advantage of 20 KCKCC turnovers and 34.1 percent shooting to open a 55-38 halftime lead.

“NIACC did a good job making you play fast and sending one guy down the floor when we shot the ball,” Burgette said. “We also got sped up the first half, couldn’t get into our offense and didn’t do a good job of scoring in transition.”

The Blue Devils scored 57 points in the second, outscoring the Trojans 57- 45 in closing to within four points.

“The second half we cut the turnovers down (8), made some adjustments and showed some toughness to grind our way back,” he said. “I was proud of the way the way they competed. They’re going to learn from it and move on. The best thing we get to turn around in less than 24 hours and play a good Ellsworth team.”

KCKCC closes out a season-opening four-game road trip at Allen County Tuesday at 7 p.m. before returning home for the Keith Lindsey Classic against Cowley County on Friday (8 p.m.) and North Central Missouri Saturday (6 p.m.).

by Alan Hoskins, KCKCC

The stage is set Saturday for an early season collision of the top two ranked teams in NJCAA Division II women’s basketball – No. 1 Kansas City Kansas Community College vs. No. 2 Kirkwood on Kirkwood’s home court in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Tipoff is set for 3 p.m.

KCKCC will take a 4-0 record into the showdown of the last two national champions with a 76-56 win over Southeastern Community College of West Burlington, Iowa, in the opening round of the Kirkwood Classic Friday. Kirkwood (3-0) cruised past John Wood 77-40 Friday. Saturday’s game is scheduled to be streamed on the Kirkwood and NJCAA websites.

Outstanding performances by freshmen Aliyah Myers and Jada Mayberry and a big defensive effort propelled the Blue Devils past Southeastern. A 5-7 freshman from Derby, Myers had a game high 23 points on 7-of-10 shooting while Kapaun-Mt. Carmel freshman Jada Mayberry just missed a double-double with 12 points and nine rebounds.

Belton freshman Kamryn Estell added 12 points and seven rebounds; Adoreya Williams seven points and Brodi Byrd and Destiny Zamudio six points each as the Blue Devils got a whopping 46 points from their bench.

Trailing 19-17 after one quarter, the Blue Devils gave up seven field goals the first period – and only eight the final three quarters. The middle two quarters were game changing. The Blackhawks were just 2-for-13 (.154) in the second period as KCKCC burst to a 35-27 halftime lead and 2-for-10 the third period as a 24-10 Blue Devil surge spread the lead to 59-37.

Mayberry had eight points and Myers five for KCKCC in the second quarter and Myers 10 in the third including two of her four 3-pointers (4-for-7). Byrd and Murcer Roberts also had treys in the period.

“Aliyah Myers and Jada Mayberry were both great for us,” KCKCC coach Joe McKinstry said. “The two of them carried us and made plays on both ends of the floor to keep our heads above water, especially early on.”

KCKCC won the rebounding battle 41-33 but also committed a season high 20 turnovers, The Blue Devils got off 16 more shots (71-55), shooting 39.4 percent from the field and 34.4 percent from 3-point. Southeastern was 27.3 percent from the field and .143 from distance.

“It’s good to get a win against a good program like Southeastern but the truth is, we didn’t play very well tonight,” he said. “We lacked the energy and enthusiasm we’ve been playing with and Southeastern came out very strong to start the game. On the other hand, I felt like we did do a good job of forcing them into tough shots. Southeastern didn’t get many easy opportunities in the half court. We also did a good job of rebounding the ball and getting ourselves into our transition game.”

Southeastern surged to a 6-0 lead and enjoyed its biggest lead at 9-2 before field goals by Tiaira Earnest, Estell and Adoreya Williams and a 3-pointer by Byrd evened the game at 11. There were three lead changes and two ties before the Blue Devils pulled away on 3-poiners by Myers and Mayberry to start the second quarter.