Category: KCKCC

Lady Blue Devils protect No. 6 ranking with a pair of wins

Sophomore Hannah Valentine maneuvered between three Graceland defensive players for two of her game-high 24 points in KCKCC’s 86-66 win Tuesday. (KCKCC photo by Alan Hoskins)

by Alan Hoskins, KCKCC sports information

Ranked No. 6 in the latest NJCAA DII women’s basketball poll, Kansas City Kansas Community College made a statement for climbing even higher Monday.

Facing a Jefferson College team that had defeated No, 10 Lincoln Land and lost to No. 7 Parkland in Hillsboro, Missouri, the Blue Devils (6-0) posted a 73-44 win and then followed it up with an 86-66 home win over Graceland junior varsity Tuesday.

“I really didn’t see that coming,” admitted KCKCC coach Joe McKinstry of the win over Jefferson. “They had played two top 10 teams and beaten one so I thought we might be in for a long night. Plus we’d had a long trip to William Penn on Friday and a four-hour trip Monday so to go into their place and play the way we did, I was pretty happy.”

The Blue Devils jumped out to a quick 10-2 lead but after the Vikings closed to 10-9, KCKCC opened an 18-9 first quarter lead and stretched it to 33-17 at halftime.

“I told the team at halftime I didn’t feel like we were up 16 points because of how hard Jefferson was playing. I can’t remember being up that much and feeling like it was a two possession game because they were playing so hard. But every time Jefferson made a comeback, we would answer,” he said.

The Vikings made their biggest run in the third quarter, scoring 19 points.

“Ikia Elam had huge moments in the third quarter, scoring two baskets and making two great passes to De’Jaria Guillory for buckets,” McKinstry said.

Nine Blue Devils played and all had at least five points. Hannah Valentine and Jada Mayberry had 13 points each, Aliyah Myers 9, Guillory and Faith Putz 8, Mercer Roberts and Ilam 6 and Lacy Whitcomb and Trinity McDow 5 each.

“The balanced scoring, answering every run and the defensive effort were all very satisfying,” McKinstry added.

On Tuesday, the Blue Devils needed a big second half to subdue a feisty Graceland junior varsity team 86-66. The Yellowjackets led by as many as six points in a first half that had four ties and seven lead changes. Trailing 31-25 with 3½ minutes left in the second quarter, KCKCC needed an 11-5 run to forge a 36-36 halftime tie before taking control with a 12-2 run to start the second half.

The Blue Devils got another big performance from Valentine, who had a double-double with 24 points on 10-of-14 shots and 12 rebounds, both game highs. Putz added 19 points including a trio of 3-pointers; Myers 13 points; and McDow 10. It was big all-around night for Myers, who had six assists, four steals and eight rebounds. Whitcomb led in steals with seven along with five assists while Guillroy had seven rebounds.

Graceland shot 50 percent both from the field and 3-point (6-of-12) in the 36-36 first half while the Blue Devils shot just 38.9 percent for the game and .216 from 3-point. However, the Blue Devils had a 53-37 rebound advantage and forced 31 turnovers while making 19.

With a home game against State Fair Saturday canceled by the pandemic, the Blue Devils are now idle until next Tuesday when they play host to Metropolitan in a doubleheader starting at 5:30 p.m.

Surrounded by three Graceland defenders, freshman guard Lacy Whitcomb sent a pass to teammate Mercer Roberts in KCKCC’s 86-66 win Tuesday night. (KCKCC photo by Alan Hoskins)

No. 7 Johnson County volleyball rallies past No. 18 KCKCC, 3-1

The national leader in kills, high-flying KCKCC sophomore Cassidy Crist had this attempt blocked in the Blue Devils’ 3-1 loss to No. 7 Johnson County Monday. Libero Kelcey Hund trailed the play. (KCKCC photo by Alan Hoskins)

by Alan Hoskins, KCKCC sports information

Kansas City Kansas Community College went from the volleyball frying pan into the fire Monday night.

A 3-2 winner at then No. 2 nationally ranked Coffeyville last Thursday, the Blue Devils took on Jayhawk Conference preseason favorite Johnson County in the KCKCC home opener Monday.

Ranked No. 18 in the latest NJCAA Division II poll, the Blue Devils jumped in front 25-16 in the opening set only to have the No. 7 ranked Cavaliers pull even in the second set 25-17, then win hotly contested races to the finish 25-22 and 25-23 to close out a 3-1 win.

“We were up late in both the third and fourth sets but just couldn’t quite pull it off,” KCKCC coach Mary Bruno-Ballou said. “A great battle against a highly ranked conference rival. We played well and had lots of opportunities. We just need to learn how to capitalize on them.”

The national leader in kills, DeSoto sophomore Cassidy Crist led the Blue Devils with 18; Michelle Dvorak had 10 kills and eight blocks; and Adriana Velez 40 assists.

“Unforced errors were costly,” Bruno-Ballou said. “We need to work on those. But it’s still early and there’s room for improvement. There’s endless possibilities for this group.”

The Blue Devils resume Jayhawk Conference action Saturday, as hosts of Neosho County in a noon tipoff.

Sophomores Michelle Dvorak (5) and Adriana Velez (7) went high in an attempt to block a Johnson County volley in KCKCC’s 3-1 loss Monday. Freshman Madi Hajek (1) readied for a possible return. (KCKCC photo by Alan Hoskins)

Record Blue Devils rally comes up short, 97-94

by Alan Hoskins, KCKCC sports information

It was one of the biggest comebacks in Kansas City Kansas Community College basketball history. Unfortunately, it was not a triumphant comeback.

Trailing by 18 points with 15 minutes remaining, the Blue Devils forged a 94-94 tie before free throws provided William Penn’s junior varsity a 97-94 win in Oskaloosa, Iowa, Saturday.

The loss dropped the Blue Devils to 2-3 with all three losses decided in the final seconds. They resume action Wednesday when they play host to Southeast Nebraska at 7 p.m. in a game that will be streamed on the KCKCC Blue Devil website.

“We didn’t come prepared and that’s on me,” KCKCC coach Brandon Burgette said. ”We like to use these games to get ourselves going but William Penn is not your typical JV team. They’ve got some good players, That’s why their varsity (13-1) is ranked No. 2 in the nation. They are a good team and beat us in every way from beginning to the end. I’m proud of how hard we fought but the effort wasn’t enough. We have to get better.”

The Statesmen took command early, jumping out to a 11-6 lead in the first five minutes and expanding it to 54-44 at halftime and 65-47 with 15 minutes remaining. The Blue Devils mustered one comeback midway through the second half, closing to 75-69 only to have it fizzle out when William Penn went on an 11-0 run for an 86-69 bulge.

The Blue Devils were still down 91-80 before making a 14-3 comeback to get the game even. Layups by DeAngelo Bell and Trey Bates and a dunk off a steal by Caleb Jones made it 93-92 and another Jones basket pulled KCKCC even 94-94 with 15.4 seconds left and a chance to win.

But an errant in-bounds pass, subsequent foul and William Penn free throw broke the deadlock and Bates’ 10-footer from in front of the basket bounced off the rim. The Statesmen added two clinching free throws with 2.3 left.

The Blue Devils shot the ball well – 49.3 percent from the field (36-73) and .407 from 3-point (11-27) but sabotaged the effort by converting only 11-of-28 free throws (.393) and turning the ball over 23 times.

KCKCC got big performances from former Harmon standout DeAngelo Bell, who had a career-high 21 points including 3-of-5 3-pointers, and Caleb Jones, who had a double-double with 18 points and a career-high 16 rebounds, Shaylon Janloo added 17 points, Trey Bates 13, Bryce Johnson 10 and Jermaine Yarbough 8. Bates also had eight assists and Bell four while Don’vae Ferguson took down six rebounds.