by Alan Hoskins, KCKCC
Kansas City Kansas Community College held a talented Washburn JV team to just one field goal the final 6½ minutes of play Wednesday but couldn’t overcome an 8-point deficit in a 67-64 setback.
The Blue Devils had a chance to tie with 6.7 seconds left but Kellen Turner’s 3-point attempt missed and the Ichabods clinched it with a pair of free throws.
The Blue Devils are right back in action Saturday when they play host to Brown Mackie in the second half of a 2-4 p.m. doubleheader. It will be Brown Mackie’s final game at KCKCC as the college will no longer offer basketball after this season.
Turner continued his outstanding spring semester shooting, scoring a game high 21 points including 6-of-11 free throw points. He also led KCKCC in rebounding with eight. Turner, who was 5-of-6 from distance in the first half, has now scored 113 points in the first five games of the second half of the season.
Mike Lee added 15 points, four rebounds and a game high five assists, Daniel Kingcannon contributed 10 points in a key reserve role and Jon Murray had seven rebounds and six points.
KCKCC led 38-35 at halftime but the Ichabods took advantage of a 45-36 rebound superiority top build a 61-55 lead with 6:30 remaining. Darren Spruill’s field goal, Wasbburn’s only basket during a furious finish, kept the lead at 65-59 only to have Lane Hartley cut the KCKCC deficit to 65-63 with a 3-pointer with 1:13 to go.
However, the Blue Devils could not score again until a Turner jump shot at the final horn.
The Blue Devils committed just eight turnovers in the contest but managed just 9-of-32 second half shots for 28.1 percent in their second game in two nights.