by Alan Hoskins, KCKCC
Over the years, the record book will show the 2019-2020 Kansas City Kansas Community College women’s basketball team finished 25-7 and fourth in the Jayhawk Conference.
What it will not show is that the seven losses came at the hands of just four teams, all of which were ranked in the Top Five in the nation at one time; or that the Blue Devils knocked off three ranked teams, were ranked nationally all season and finished No. 18.
“Even though we finished fourth in the conference, the most gratifying thing was the way this team competed,” Joe McKinstry, fifth-year head coach, said. “Other than a few possessions, they deserved to be in the talks about a conference championship and in the rankings and had the ability to win every game. They went toe-to-toe with everyone; we didn’t walk into a game that we did not have a chance to win.”
The 25 wins, the eighth most in KCKCC history, came with only one of three sophomores returning from the 2019 national championship team playing the entire season. Brodi Byrd started all 32 games but injuries cut Caroline Hoppock’s season in half and a pre-season injury sidelined Carson Chandler for the entire season.
“Anytime you win 25 games it’s successful – especially when we had 10 new faces added to the program,” said McKinstry. “For them to get us in position to win 25 games was a tribute of how hard they competed and played, even in the losses.”
Graduation will take two of the best 3-point shooters in KCKCC history. Byrd leaves as the all-time career leader in threes with 132 while Hoppock shares the all-time high in treys in a single game with eight on a record-shattering 8 of 11 3-point shooting last season.
Averaging 10.3 points, Byrd led the Blue Devils in 3-pointers (56), shared the lead in assists (2.4) and was second in rebounds (4.8) in earning All-Jayhawk third team honors. Hoppock averaged 13.3 points and 4.7 rebounds in 15 games with 40 3-point goals (2.66 average) including six in one game, five in four others.
The only other sophomore to depart is 5-5 point guard Destiny Zamudio, who started 22 games, averaging 6.6 points, 1.7 rebounds and 1.9 assists.
“Being a new face, Destiny did a great job of doing what we needed without any experience,” McKinstry said. “Brodi started all but 10 games in her career and improved in every statistical category. And had it not been for injuries, Caroline would have statistically been the best 3-point shooter I’ve had.”
The Jayhawk Freshman of the Year and all-conference second team, Kamryn Estell led the Blue Devils in scoring (15.0) and rebounds (7.2) despite being double and triple teamed throughout the season. A 6-1 forward-center from Belton, Estell was the only Blue Devil in the starting lineup taller than 5-foot-7.
Aliyah Myers, a 5-7 freshman from Derby, was also in double figures in scoring (11.5). A third team All-Jayhawk pick, she led in steals (2.2) and shared the assist lead (2.4). Other returning guards included 5-6 Jada Mayberry of Wichita, 7.4 points; and 5-6 Tiaira Earnest (6.8), 5-5 Adoreya Williams (5.6) and 5-4 Diamond Williams (2.8), all of Detroit. Forward returnees include 5-10 Mercer Roberts (4.1) of Myrtle Beach, S.C., and 6-1 Shanea Dnwiddie (1.4) of Detroit.
“Kamryn Estell and Aliyah Myers both had great freshmen years and I look for them to take their production to the next level,” McKinstry said. “But we’re going to need to add depth, playmaking at all positions and athleticism for rebounding purposes. Lack of rebounding hurt us this year; we got out-rebounded in important games.”
McKinstry was assisted for the third season by Timeka O’Neal. Three of the Blue Devils’ seven losses were to No. 2 ranked Labette, the Jayhawk and Plains District champion. Co-runnerup Johnson County won twice; the Blue Devils split with the other runner, Highland. The lone non-conference loss came at No. 4 Kirkwood.