by Alan Hoskins, KCKCC
Iowa Lakes came up short of its 99.2-point scoring average at Kansas City Kansas Community College but the Lakers still had plenty of firepower for an 89-68 win.
However, the Lakers did exceed their season’s shooting percentage of 50.5 percent by hitting a crisp 54.5 percent in boosting their record to 9-3.
The Blue Devils, meanwhile, dropped their sixth in a row and fell to 4-9 heading into a Tuesday night clash at Iowa Western, the No. 16 ranked team in Division I. It’s the last KCKCC men’s game before the holiday break.
Iowa Lakes never trailed Saturday, racing to an 11-0 lead in the first four minutes. Closest KCKCC could get was 16-12 with 11:45 left but by the time the Blue Devils scored again six minutes later, the Lakers had run off 13 straight points for a 29-12 lead with 5:30 left.
The Blue Devils made one more run in the second half. Trailing 50-27 early in the second half, KCKCC cut the deficit to 58-48 only to have Iowa Lakes go on a 10-1 run for a 68-49 lead.
Six Lakers finished in double figures in a well-balanced Iowa Lakes’ offense that shot 51.5 percent the first half, 57.6 percent the second half. But it was Iowa Lakes’ domination on the boards that was even more telling – a 46-28 command including 15 offensive rebounds that led to several Lakers’ goals.
Guards led the Blue Devils. Solomon Thomas had 16 points, Dion Union 15 and Sterling Hicks 9 while forward DuVonte Beard added eight for KCKCC, which was just 22-of-59 from the field for 37.3 per cent and 8-of-28 from 3-point (.286). Union also had six rebounds, Trevon Jefferson five and Beard four for the Blue Devils.
