by Alan Hoskins, KCKCC sports information
Reserves led a second half Kansas City Kansas Community College offensive awakening to stay alive in the NJCAA Division II national women’s basketball tourney Wednesday.
Limited to 21 points in the first half, the Blue Devils scored 28 in the third quarter on the way to a 68-47 win over Muskegon in first round consolation bracket play in the tourney at Catawba Valley in Hickory, North Carolina.
The win advances the third-seeded Blue Devils (21-3) into the consolation semifinals against the winner of Thursday’s game between Arkansas State Mid-South and Lackawanna. The game will be played Friday at 10 a.m.
It might have never happened, however, had it not been for the play of the bench. Led by freshmen guards Lacy Whitcomb and Aysia Arrowhead, five Blue Devil reserves combined to score 48 of KCKCC’s 68 points (70.5 percent) and capture 33 of 49 rebounds.
Arrowood, a 5-8 guard from Valley Center, knocked down 4-of 7 3-pointers, to finish with a career high 13 points (and six rebounds); 5-6 Shawnee Mission South grad Whitcomb had her first collegiate double double, scoring 13 points and grabbing a team high 10 rebounds. Jewel Hart and D.Q. Guillory added eight points each and Trinity McDow had a career high eight rebounds and four points. Whitcomb and Guillory (six rebounds) also led in assists with four.
“Both (Whitcomb and Arrowood) stepped up and made shots when we needed them,” KCKCC coach Joe McKinstry said. “Aysia is our best shooter, no doubt about it, and Laci is right there with her. But the best thing was they were ready when needed, not only with their scoring but rebounding, defense and energy. Our starters scored 20 points which is not necessarily ideal but it’s nice to have that kind of depth. And when the starters came out, they did a great job of supporting from the bench while the other five kicked-started us.”
McKinstry wasted no time in getting the bench into action. Muskegon bolted to a 9-0 lead and four missed shot and two turnovers brought a total shift in lineups 2½ minutes into the game. The Jayhawks led by as many as 11 points in the first half, taking advantage of 24.2 percent KCKCC shooting and a dozen turnovers.
Fortunate to trail only 24-21 at halftime, the starters returned to ignite a 12-0 surge to start the second half. Aliyah Myers and Tiaria Earnest each had 3-pointers, Myers a layup and Ilka Elam a field goal and two free throws in the first 3½ minutes in a 22-10 third quarter that built a 49-34 lead. Myers finished with eight points and Elam seven.
“Obviously we were struggling the first half but I liked everything we were doing; we just couldn’t make shots,” McKinstry said. The Blue Devils managed only 11 points the first 17½ minutes and trailed 22-11. “I was pleased with our defense but if you’re not scoring, it’s hard to keep your energy up.
Whitcomb and Arrowood took it the final 14 minutes, each scoring 10 points and combining for nine rebounds and 5-of- 9 3-pointers. The Blue Devils dominated rebounding 54-38 including 20 off the offensive boards. Thanks to 47.1 percent second half shooting, KCKCC finished at 35.8 percent while the Jayhawks were held to 25.8 percent the second half, .311 for the game. Turnovers were dead even 22-22.