Pirates held without field goal 15 minutes, missing 23 straight field goal attempts
by Alan Hoskins, KCKCC
Pitching the longest shutout in Kansas City Kansas Community College history, the Blue Devils rode a huge first half to a 74-67 win over North Central Missouri in the final game of the Keith Lindsey Classic Saturday night.
The win lifted the Blue Devils to 3-2 heading into home games Friday against Saint Mary junior varsity at 7 p.m. and a big 7:30 p.m. test Tuesday against Iowa Western. Friday’s game will follow a KCKCC’s women’s game against Park University junior varsity at 5 p.m.
KCKCC’s clash with North Central was played in two halves – the Blue Devils winning the first half 41-13, the Pirates taking the second half 54-33.
What was amazing is the way the Blue Devils built that big first half lead. It was unlike no other. With 15:50 left in the first half, the Pirates cut the KCKCC lead to 9-7. By the time North Central could score another field goal, the Blue Devils led 41-9 with just 46 seconds left.
During that span of 15 minutes and four seconds, North Central missed 23 consecutive field goal attempts and eight of 10 free throws in being outscored 32-2. Just 4-of-29 for the half for 13.8 percent, three of the four field goals came on 3-pointers.
“The first half we were focused, driven and under control to be successful in everything we executed,” KCKCC coach Kelley Newton saod. “The second half we were not focused and gave up 54 points. We have to learn how to be focused and driven on every play. When we figure that out, we will be dangerous. But hats off to North Central for playing a great game in the second half.”
The Pirates shot at a torrid 55.6 percent the second half including 5-of-9 3-pointers but never got closer than six points in the closing points thanks in part to invaluable production off the bench from forward DuVonte Beard. Scoreless the first half, Beard had 11 second half points on 4-of-6 shooting.
Sterling Hicks led the first half assault with 16 of his 18 points while Dion Union led all scorers with 19 points, 11 the first half. Dixon also had a career high eight assists while Solomon Thomas contributed five assists and nine points. Tyson Beringer just missed a double-double with a game-high 10 rebounds and nine points, seven of which came in the second half.
KCKCC won the rebounding battle 38-31 with Josiah Laws adding eight to Beringer’s 10. The Blue Devils also shot well, 26-of-50 for 52 percent but were guilty of 17 turnovers to just seven for North Central.
Ironically, all four men’s teams in the Classic won. On Friday, North Central Missouri defeated Highland 79-71 while KCKCC fell to Link Year Prep 84-71. On Saturday Highland humbled Link Year Prep 104-64 while KCKCC was beating North Central 74-67.