by Alan Hoskins, KCKCC
With just one week to go, Kansas City Kansas Community College has three games remaining before beginning defense of the its 2019 Jayhawk Conference women’s basketball championship.
The No. 2 ranked Lady Blue Devils (16-1) easily won their 12h game in a row Tuesday with a 90-69 thumping of William Penn’s junior varsity but it did not come without some season-long woes – turnovers and missed layups.
The Blue Devils were guilty of 22 turnovers and shot just 35.8 percent over the final three quarters.
“We just miss too many layups,” KCKCC coach Joe McKinstry said. “All we do in practice is shoot layups, pass the ball and play defense and yet at halftime we had nine missed layups and 10 turnovers. And they weren’t pressing us.”
On the plus side, the Blue Devils had 22 assists on 29 field goals and 14 offensive rebounds in the second half after just two the first two quarters. Defensively, KCKCC had 11 steals in forcing 19 Penn turnovers and won the rebound battle 48-38 after being nearly even the first half.
Playing only her second game of the season, sophomore Caroline Hoppock of Olathe East again knocked down five 3-pointers and just missed her first double-double with 21 points and nine rebounds, both game highs.
Aliyah Myers added 13 points, seven rebounds and five assists and Kamryn Estell 14 points on 5-of-8 shooting and four rebounds. Seven Blue Devils scored eight or more points. Jada Mayberry had nine points and Brodi Byrd, Tiaira Earnest and Destiny Zumudio eight points each. Byrd also shared assist honors with five while Diamond Williams had six rebounds and three assists.
The Blue Devils opened the game by converting 10-of-15 shots including 4-of-7 3-pointers in building a 26-15 first quarter lead. Ahead at halftime 47-29, Hoppock opened the second half with a pair of 3-pointers to kick off a 29-13 third quarter.
KCKCC is right back in action Wednesday, playing Missouri Southern’s junior varsity in Joplin at 5:30 p.m. The Blue Devils face Park University’s junior varsity in Parkville Friday at 5 p.m. and then finish out their non-conference schedule with a tough road test against North Central Missouri (12-5) Saturday in Trenton at 2 p.m. Jayhawk play then begins next Wednesday against No. 16 Labette in Parsons.
