Category: KCKCC

Blue Devils gain revenge, extend winning streak to five

KCKCC’s Jermaine Yarbough vaulted over a North Central Missouri defender after throwing down a vicious dunk in the Blue Devils’ 69-67 over the No. 17-ranked Pirates Tuesday. (KCKCC photo by Alan Hoskins)

by Alan Hoskins, KCKCC sports information

Just a year ago on Feb. 25, the Kansas City Kansas Community College men’s basketball team set off on an eight-game winning streak culminated by Jayhawk Conference and Region VI championships.

This year after a 2-5 start, the Blue Devils will take a five-game winning streak into conference play after a 69-67 win over North Central Missouri Tuesday night.

The win not only lifted the Blue Devils’ record to 7-5 but avenged an earlier 118-115 double overtime loss to the No. 17 ranked Pirates in the season opener for both teams.

It also set up a Saturday afternoon clash with No. 6-ranked Johnson County in Overland Park. Women’s action begins at 2 p.m., the men at 4 p.m. with both games streamed on the JCCC athletic website.

Leading by as many as 12 points midway through the second half, the Blue Devils never trailed the final 20 minutes but it took a rash of key plays to hold off the Pirates.

Robert Rhodes grabbed an offensive rebound and fed Deron McDaniel for a huge 3-pointer and then made two vital free throws to maintain a 4-point lead;

Jermaine Yarbough swatted away a shot attempt in the final minute; and DeAngelo Bell converted two free throws with 23 seconds left for what proved to be the difference.

“The guys stepped up at the right moments; a great effort all the way around,” KCKCC coach Brandon Burgette said. “We take pride in defending and we did that tonight. We have to clean up some things collectively to be better down the stretch and executing but over all our game plan was great – a great job in detail of doing what it takes to win. This gives us great momentum going into conference play.”

McDaniel led the way for KCKCC, knocking down four treys and scoring 16 points; grabbing seven rebounds and dealing out a game high six assists. Caleb Jones had yet another double with 12 points and 11 rebounds; Trey Bates scored 10 points, Shaylon Janloo 9, Yarbough 8 and Bell 6.

The Blue Devils led 69-60 with 7½ minutes left only to have the Pirates close to 62-60 and it took a McDaniel 3-pointer to slow the comeback with 2:52 remaining. Two free throws each by Rhodes and Bell put the Blue Devils in front 69-63 with 23 seconds left before nearly self-destructing.

A technical foul after a Pirate layup cut the KCKCC lead to 69-67 and two missed free throws opened the door for a last-ditch game-tying shot that missed as time ran out.

Lady Blue Devils lead 19-3, then rally for 87-80 win

Aliyah Myers (KCKCC photo from Alan Hoskins)
DeQuaria Guillory (KCKCC photo from Alan Hoskins)

by Alan Hoskins, KCKCC sports information

A not-so-funny thing happened on the way to what had the makings of a lopsided Kansas City Kansas Community College women’s win Tuesday night.

The Blue Devils surged to a 19-3 lead in the first five minutes only to fritter it all away and more before Aliyah Myers and friends came to the rescue in an 87-80 win over No. 13-ranked North Central Missouri.

The win was the ninth in a row for the unbeaten and No. 4-ranked Blue Devils heading into their biggest test of the season to date – a Saturday afternoon collision with No. 3-ranked Johnson County in Overland Park. A 2 p.m. tipoff, the game will be streamed on the JCCC athletic website.

The Blue Devils stormed to a 12-0 lead and by the time North Central scored its second field goal five minutes into the first quarter, all five Blue Devil starters had scored in building a 19-3 lead.

The Pirates never got closer than 10 points in the first half but it wasn’t for a lack of effort. Each time they got close to cutting the deficit to single figures, the Blue Devils responded and eventually widened their lead to 21 points early in the second half.

KCKCC still led 63-58 only to have the Pirates bolt to a 64-63 lead two minutes into the fourth quarter and it took clutch 3-point shooting by DeQuaria Guillory, Tairia Earnest and Myers to rescue the Blue Devils.

Myers sandwiched a pair of threes around a Hannah Valentine rebound layup and Guillory and Earnest chipped in with 3-pointers for a 79-70 lead. North Central made one last bid, closing to 84-80, but Myers drained a jumper with 1:05 left to put the game out of reach.

“We had a great start to the game but we knew they were going to start scoring at some point,” KCKCC coach Joe McKinstry said. “Giving up a 21-point lead was not a good thing but we could have folded and felt sorry for ourselves and given up but we didn’t. We gave up the lead and then came right back and built up a 9-point cushion.”

Myers not only led the Blue Devils in scoring with 23 points but she also led in assists with eight, in rebounds with eight and steals with six as she consistently hounded the Pirates defensively.

Guillory and Earnest were also outstanding. Guillory had a career-high 21 points, six rebounds and three assists; Earnest a career-high 20 points. Despite being the shortest player on the floor, Earnest pulled down seven rebounds and had three steals.

“Myers obviously was legitimately flirting with a quadruple-double and made some big shots when we needed them,” McKinstry said. “And DQ (Guillory) and Tiaria were both fantastic. It was the first start for DeQuaria. With Faith Putz away for a death in the family, it took away a little of our depth. And sending them to the free throw line for 17-of-20 is not good.”

Defensively, the Blue Devils forced 21 Pirate turnovers they converted into 29 points but lost the rebound battle 49-38.

Both teams scored 38 field goals but the Blue Devils had a 12-7 advantage in 3-pointers as Myers (4-10), Earnest (3-5) and Guillory (3-5) combined to drain 10-of-20 treys.

“At times our offense looked really good; at times our defense looked good but we can’t give up 17-of-20 free throws,” McKinstry said. “When we didn’t foul (21 times), we made things pretty difficult.”

Blue Devils face ranked foes after 111-62 cruise

by Alan Hoskins, KCKCC sports information

With two ranked opponents dead ahead, Kansas City Kansas Community College’s Blue Devils warmed up for one of their toughest weeks of the season with a 111-62 win over Graceland University junior varsity in Lamoni, Iowa, Saturday.

The Blue Devils will play host to No. 17 ranked North Central Missouri in a re-match of an earlier 118-115 double overtime shootout Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. and then go to No. 6 Johnson County (5-1) Saturday at 4 p.m. in the Jayhawk Conference opener for both teams.

The No. 4 KCKCC women also play host to No. 13 North Central Tuesday at 5:30 p.m. and both games will be streamed on the KCKCC Blue Devil website.

The win at Graceland was the fourth in a row for the Blue Devils and pushed them over the .500 mark at 6-5.

“A good win; the guys played hard,” KCKCC coach Brandon Burgette said. “A good way to build momentum for our week ahead.”

Six Blue Devils scored in double figures and all 12 who played scored as KCKCC built a 50-28 halftime lead. Deron McDaniel led the scoring with 19 points followed by Cody Dortch and Robert Rhodes with 13 each, Caleb Jones 12 and Shayon Jonloo and Trey Bates 11 apiece.

Rhodes’ 13 points came on 6-of-6 shooting while Jones was 5-of-7 as the Blue Devils shot 48.4 percent from the field.

Bryce Johnson and Rhodes led rebounding with nine each while Don’vae Ferguson added seven and Jones six. Zach Nelson directed the offense with seven assists while Bates added four and Janloo and DeAngelo Bell three each.