by Alan Hoskins, KCKCC
Brandon Burgette’s Blue Devils put on the biggest aerial show in the history of the Kansas City Kansas Community College Field House Monday night.
The Blue Devils knocked down 18-of-29 three-point attempts for a sizzling 62.1 percent in a 105-64 win over Park University’s Development Team. It’s the most three-pointers and the best shooting percentage on 20 or more shots in a single game in the Field House.
It’s also the most three-pointers in 31 years, dating back to the 1988-1989 season when the Maurice Lamar- led Blue Devils drained 21 treys (47 attempts) in a 122-113 overtime loss to Garden City in a game remembered as the best ever in the old Jayhawk Shootout. The best record for percentage is .650 (13-of-20) against Penn Valley Nov. 15, 1988.
The long-range assault was not the only highlight. Jalen Davis’ 9-of-9 shooting from the field has been exceeded only one other time. Henry Thomas was 10-for-10 back in 1991. And the Blue Devils dealt out 29 assists on 43 field goals led by a career high 11 from freshman Deron McDaniel. Davis added seven and DeAngelo Bell five.
“We did a great job sharing the ball which helped us have a great shooting night,” Burgette said. “One thing about shooting it well is trusting each other to make open shots and our guys have been shooting with a ton of confidence and encouragement.”
The Blue Devils also shared in the three-point attack No one had more than three treys and eight Blue Devils had at least one three and seven had two or more. Only Robert Rhodes did not have a trey and he did not attempt one while sharing rebound honors with seven and blocking a pair of shots.
Nearly half of the three-point production came from a source not usually expected. The forward trio of 6-8 Jermaine Yarbough, 6-5 Jaemaal Newson and 6-6 Tim Barbieri combined to make 8-of-10 three-pointers. Yarbough and Newson were both 3-of-4 and Barbieri a perfect 2-of-2.
Davis led the scoring with 21 points including a trio of treys and added seven rebounds, seven assists and just one turnover. Yarbough added 17 points and seven rebounds while DeAngelo Bell had 14 points on 6-of-8 shooting, Berbieri a career high 13 points, Calvin Slaughter 12 points and five rebounds, Newsom 11 points and five rebounds and Ezekiel Lopes six points and three assists.
For the game, the Blue Devils were 43-of-75 for 57.3 percent. They also dominated the rebounding 45-32) while turnovers were almost even (17-16).
The win wrapped up non-conference play for the Blue Devils (9-12), who have won four of their last six heading into Jayhawk Conference road games at Fort Scott Wednesday (7:30 p.m.) and Highland Saturday (3 p.m.)