by Alan Hoskins, KCKCC
Hard-charging Labette ended Kansas City Kansas Community College’s 3-game winning streak Wednesday, leading almost from start to finish in a 66-48 win.
The win was the Cardinals’ eighth in the last nine games in the Jayhawk Conference opener for both teams. KCKCC (8-13) continues Jayhawk play at Hesston Saturday in a 1 p.m. tipoff before returning home next week for games against Fort Scott Wednesday and Highland Saturday.
Labette jumped in front 15-4 in the first five minutes Wednesday and maintained a double digit lead most of the way in improving its record to 13-8.
The Cardinals excelled both offensively and defensively early, draining 12-of-24 first half shots while limiting the Blue Devils to just 30.3 percent shooting (10-of-33) in opening a 37-24 halftime lead.
While the Cardinals had only two more field goals the first half, six came on 10 3-point attempts while the Blue Devils were just 1-of-12 from distance (.083) and outscored 18-3 from distance.
Freshmen Kelyn Bolton and Calvin Slaughter led KCKCC. Bolton had 11 points and a game high six assists with Slaughter flirted with a double-double with nine points and a game high nine rebounds.
Sophomore Arother Ratliff also had nine rebounds and seven points while Taylor Turner and DuVonte Beards each added six points.
Cold-shooting plagued the Blue Devils from start to finish – just 18 field goals in 61 attempts for 29.5 percent and only five 3-pointers in 27 tries (.295).
Turnovers were almost even but Labette made the most of 18 KCKCC mistakes, scoring 24 points while the Blue Devils scored just 14 points off 16 Labette turnovers.
George Price had 16 points, Ghage Kenan 14 and Keondre Kennedy 13 for Labette.
In other opening Jayhawk action, Fort Scott won 66-59 at Hesston while the Highland at Johnson County clash was snowed out and will be played Monday.