by Alan Hoskins, KCKCC
If individual statistics are an indicator, the future looks bright for Kansas City Kansas Community College women’s basketball.
Led by Kisi Young and Niji Collier, five Lady Blue Devils ranked in the Top Five in NJCAA Region VI Division II offensive statistics this past season. And all are freshmen.
Young, a 5-9 forward out of Magnolia, Ark., led the conference in field goal percentage (.601), was third in rebounding (8.1) and fourth in scoring (14.4) while Collier, a 6-0 forward from Detroit, led the league in rebounds (8.5) and finished fifth in shooting percentage (.532) and 11th in scoring (9.1).
Gena Ojeda, a 5-4 guard from Shawnee Mission Northwest, finished second in 3-point accuracy (.408); 5-5 guard Caitlyn Stewart of Wichita Maize was second in assists (4.2); and 6-1 Magnolia forward Lillie Moore finished fifth in scoring (13.6) and rebounds (7.9).
Moore also had the fourth highest KCKCC rebound total in one game, hauling down 20 against Saint Mary junior varsity.
Twice the front line trio of Collier, Young and Moore had double-doubles in one game and combined for 26 throughout the season.
Young had 12, Collier 8 and Moore 6. Collier and Moore also had four games each and Young three in which they came within two points or rebounds or less short of a double- double.
Unfortunately, the Blue Devils also showed up in the turnover column where they averaged 21.3 overall and 24.1 in Region VI, both conference highs. Four Blue Devils finished in the top six in turnovers with a fifth in 11th place.
Fourth in Region VI behind three nationally ranked teams at 4-6, the Blue Devils finished 21-11 overall with all 11 losses coming at the hands of teams that were ranked in the Top 20 nationally at one time or another.