The second half was no friend to Kansas City Kansas Community College’s Blue Devils in this year’s annual Blue Devil Classic.
Ahead at halftime in each game, the Blue Devils dropped a 76-67 decision to Iowa Western Friday and then fell 75-69 to Link Year Prep Saturday. The losses dropped KCKCC’s record to 2-3 before taking on Des Moines Area, the defending NJCAA Division II national champion Tuesday in Boone, Iowa.
KCKCC led unbeaten Iowa Western 35-31 at halftime only to have the Reivers open the second half on a 17-2 run to vault to a 48-37 lead with 14:20 left. The Reivers were 7-of-10 during the pivotal run; the Blue Devils just one of nine as the Blue Devils could get only eight of 32 shots to fall in the second half, a chilly 25 percent. Meanwhile, Iowa Western heated up, knocking down 16-of-30 for 53.3 percent. Closest KCKCC could get the rest of the way was nine points with 4½ minutes left before the Reivers stretched their lead to 17.
The Blue Devils were led by Bryce Johnson, a 6-5 freshman forward from Lawrence who had 16 points; 6-3 Bahamian guard Joshua Dames with 15 points; and 6-6 sophomore Joshua Butler of Lee’s Summit West, who had 10 points. Jerry Maxinaud, a 6-6 freshman from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, had eight rebounds and 6-0 Shawnee Mission North guard Zach Nelson seven to lead the Blue Devils.
KCKCC bolted to a 32-15 lead in the first seven minutes against Link Year Prep, led 39-33 at halftime and didn’t give up the lead until the final 5:38 when the Lions went ahead 60-59. The Blue regained a 63-30 edge only to have Link Year Prep surge ahead 68-63 and then hold off two KCKCC rallies that closed to within three points in the final two minutes.
Four Blue Devils scored in double figures. Bradley Lightbourne, a 6-3 guard from the Bahamas, and Maxinaud had 14 points each while Dames added 11 and Butler 10. Zach Johnson had a big night directing the Blue Devils offensively, handing out a career high nine assists in 26 minutes. Maxinaud led in rebounds although the Lions had a 38-34 edge. Link Year Prep also had the better shooting night, knocking down 32-of-61 shots for 52.5 percent to 29-of-68 (.426) for KCKCC.