by Alan Hoskins, KCKCC sports information
The two shortest starters in the Kansas City Kansas Community College lineup stood tallest in the Blue Devils 83-50 win over Hesston Wednesday night.
Tiaria Earnest, a 5-6 sophomore from Detroit, and 5-7 Derby sophomore Aliyah Myers each scored 20 points and Myers added a near record 10 steals to help boost the Blue Devils’ record to 11-1.
Lacy Whitcomb, a 5-6 freshman from Shawnee Mission South, added 17 points and 5-9 Hannah Valentine 16 as the quartet combined for 73 of KCKCC’s 83 points.
The win also evened the Blue Devils’ Jayhawk Conference record at 1-1 heading into a Saturday afternoon doubleheader clash with Highland starting at 2 p.m. Both the women’s and men’s games will be streamed on the KCKCC Blue Devil website.
In addition to their scoring, Myers had 10 steals, Whitcomb 7 and Earnest 6 as the Blue Devils converted 37 Hesston turnovers into 41 points. The 10 steals by Myers were just two off the KCKCC record and tied her for third all time. She also led in assists with six.
Valentine had eight rebounds and Mercer Roberts and Myers six each as the Blue Devils won the rebounding 47-37. Offensively, the Blue Devils were 33-of-81 for 40.7 percent but only 6-of-29 for .207. Hesston was limited to 17-of- 48 for 35.4 percent and .231 from three.
Leading 15-6 after one quarter, the Blue Devils outscored Hesston 21-5 the first five minutes of the second quarter to lead 36-11. KCKCC led 40-18 at the half with Myers and Earnest scoring 12 points each.