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KCKCC to break ground Feb. 19 on student housing facility

by Kelly Rogge, KCKCC

Kansas City Kansas Community College will hold a groundbreaking Feb. 19 for the college’s Student Housing facility.

The groundbreaking ceremony will be at 10 a.m. Feb. 19 on the west side of the Police Academy’s parking lot on the KCKCC Main Campus, 7250 State Ave. in Kansas City, Kansas.

Because of COVID-19, the event will largely be virtual and can be seen on KCKCC’s Vimeo page at https://vimeo.com/503077901 or on the KCKCC Facebook page.

A small group of individuals will be in attendance including the KCKCC Board of Trustees, Wyandotte County commissioners, the KCKCC Foundation Board, local superintendents and members of the Unified Government.

Speakers at the ceremony will include Dr. Greg Mosier, KCKCC president; Mayor David Alvey; the KCKCC Student Senate president; Dr. Ray Daniels, KCKCC Board of Trustees chair; and Dr. Jane Winkler Philbrook, Unified Government commissioner.

Scheduled to be completed in summer 2022, the four-story facility will include 57 four-bed units; seven two-bed units; five ADA mobility units, two three-bed units and one each for the housing specialist and housing supervisor. In addition, other amenities include a group study hall, study spaces, multi-purpose spaces, a community laundry facility, a FEMA rated storm shelter, gaming room and an outdoor patio/grilling area.

“Our students are so excited about the new housing,” said Dr. Delfina Wilson, vice president of student affairs. “There is already a buzz among the students and an eagerness to see the project move forward. I cannot wait until the 2022 move-in date.”

Currently, KCKCC rents a facility adjacent to the main campus that serves as student housing.

“Our students deserve the best learning and living environment we can provide,” Mosier said. “The new student housing facility will allow our students to live, study and connect in new ways while being surrounded by curated amenities. I am delighted to watch the construction and know that in a few months, our students will move into a modern, comfortable and technologically supported home.”

KCKCC looks forward to welcoming new and returning students into the student housing facility for the fall 2022 semester, according to college officials.

Kelly Rogge is the public relations manager at KCKCC.

Blue Devils gain revenge, defeat No. 13 team in overtime

by Alan Hoskins, KCKCC sports information

Snake-bitten the early part of the 2021 basketball season, Kansas City Kansas Community College’s Blue Devils turned to being the viper Thursday night.

After suffering four losses that came down to the final seconds, the Blue Devils edged No. 13 ranked Southeast Community College in a down-to-the-wire overtime 79-75 thriller in Lincoln, Nebraska.

The win avenged an 89-82 loss to the Storm just eight days ago and elevated KCKCC season’s record to 4-5 heading into a road game at Park University junior varsity Monday at 7 p.m. and a return doubleheader with Metropolitan Community College on the Penn Valley campus Thursday, Feb. 18.

Trailing Southeast 75-73 with 1:25, DeAngelo Bell’s layup pulled KCKCC even and set up the biggest play of the game. Grabbing his fifth defensive rebound of the game, freshman Trey Bates went end-to-end to lay in a layup at the rim with 1:04 remaining and followed 25 seconds later with two free throws to ice it.

Bates was joined in the limelight by a host of other Blue Devils. Bell made two free throws and a 3-pointer to give KCKCC a 65-64 lead with 1:48 left; Deron McDaniel made two free throws with 41 seconds left to force overtime; Robert Rhodes had two free throws and Jermaine Yarbough a rebound goal to give KCKCC a 73-71 lead in overtime.

Leading by as many as 15 points early, the Blue Devils still had a 50-37 advantage when the Storm surged back with a 15-4 run to close to 54-52. A layup and 3-pointer by Bryce Johnson sandwiched around a Bates layup rebuilt the lead to 60-54 only to have the Storm go ahead for the first time 61-60 and set up furious race to the finish.

“A great job by our guys,” KCKCC coach Brandon Burgette said. “Winning is hard; winning is tough. We have been in many games just like this tonight where we’ve had to learn and grow. Proud of how our guys stayed together and didn’t fold. We went on stretches where we struggled and didn’t score and they made a great run at us. But certain guys stepped up at the right time when needed. Now we have to continue the streak.”

Blue Devil defensive rebounding played a huge role in the win. Facing four front-liners ranging in height from 6-8 to 6-11, KCKCC had been outscored 60-38 in the paint in the first meeting. But with Rhodes (12 rebounds), Yarbough (10) and McDaniel (9) leading the way, the Blue Devils had a whopping 34-11 superiority on the defensive boards.

McDaniel led the Blue Devils, knocking down five 3-pointers in a 21-point effort that also included a career-high nine rebounds and four assists. Bates had 14 points, three steals and three assists; Bell 11 points and three assists; and Yarbough just missed a double-double with 9 points and 10 rebounds.

Field goal shooting, however, left much to be desired. The Blue Devils shot a season low 33.8 percent from the field (27-80) and 8-for-28 from 3-point (.286), missing numerous opportunities to break the game open when the led 39-27 at halftime. Fortunately, the Storm was no better against a harassing Blue Devil defense, converting only 4-of-24 3-pointers (.169) and shooting .375 for the game.

Clutch shooting lets Blue Devils hold off Metro, 90-83

Metro defenders can only watch as Jermaine Yarbough delivered one of his three slam dunks in a 2-½ minute stretch of the first half in KCKCC’s 90-83 win over Metropolitan Tuesday night. (KCKCC photo by Alan Hoskins)

by Alan Hoskins, KCKCC sports information

Kansas City Kansas Community College got some clutch field goals they’d been desperately missing in ending a three-game losing streak Tuesday night.

Getting 17 straight points from the duo of DeAngelo Bell and Bryce Johnson in the second half, the Blue Devils (3-5) held off repeated Metropolitan Community College challenges for a hard-earned 90-83 win.

The Blue Devils led by 10 points early in the second half only to have the Wolves close to 68-65 midway through the second period when Johnson started the decisive run with a dunk. Bell followed with three 3-pointers in a span of less than two minutes for a 79-65 lead and Johnson and Bell made it 85-75, closing a 17-10 run with a pair of treys with four minutes left. But even then Metro twice closed to within four points and it took four Deron McDaniel free throws in the final two minutes to clinch it.

“The guys stepped up and made shots but we have to do a better job of holding a lead,” KCKCC coach Brandon Burgette said. “We gave up two 10-point leads.”

Five Blue Devils finished in double figures led by sophomore Caleb Jones, who had yet another double double with 18 points and 12 rebounds. McDaniel added 16 points, Bell 15, Trey Bates 12 and Jermaine Yarbough.10. The Blue Devils also got a key performance from freshman Zack Nelson, who had game highs of eight assists and four steals.

Bell’s 15 points came on 5-of-6 3-pointers while Yarbough had three dunks and a layup in a 2½- minute span in the first half. Yarbough’s four goals and five points by Nelson highlighted a surge that pushed KCKCC to a 29-20 lead only to have Metro go ahead 30-29 in a furious first half that had six ties and nine lead changes.

The Blue Devils had a season low seven turnovers while forcing 16 by Metro that KCKCC turned into 23 points.

“We did a good playing in transition,” Burgette said. “Metro played well and shot the ball well (47.1 percent). We just have to do a better job of rebounding and securing the glass.”

Metro won the battle of the boards 43-36 with 19 of the rebounds coming offensively. The Blue Devils were a terrific 13-of-26 from 3-point and 14-of-26 (.538) in holding off Metro in the second half.

The Blue Devils now go back on the road for their next three games starting at Southeast Nebraska Thursday at 7 p.m. They’ll also be at Park University’s junior varsity Monday at 7 p.m. and they have a re-match with Metropolitan on the Penn Valley campus Feb. 18.