BOTH BLUE DEVIL CAGE TEAMS OFF TO WINNING STARTS
Having successful basketball programs starts by winning at home and Kansas City Kansas Community College teams did just that in the 10th Annual Keith Lindsey Classic Friday and Saturday.
The Blue Devil men opened their season by defeating North Arkansas 79-62 Friday and OnPoint Academy 77-70 Saturday while the Lady Blue Devils used big second halves to defeat Benedictine's JV 53-43 Friday and Neosho County 84-64 Saturday and then followed up Monday with a 90-47 win over Saint Mary's JV for a 5-0 start to the season.
The KCKCC women are right back home Thursday against Missouri Valley's JV at 5 p.m. while the Blue Devil men will be competing in the North Ark Classic in Harrison Friday and Saturday. The men will be without the services of Antonio Winn, the lone returning starter sidelined indefinitely with a lower leg injury sustained Saturday night.
Trailing Benedictine 28-20 at the half, the Lady Blue Devils limited the Ravens to just 21.4 percent second half shooting and just 15 points for their second straight come-from-behind win. Imani White had 11 points, Samantha Hurst 8, Julia Garrard and Rashaun Casey 7 each and Cassidy Harbert and Makayla Loggins 6 apiece while Hurst had eight rebounds and Garrard and Iland Shurn 7 each.
A sophomore from Harrisonville, Samantha Hurst then followed up with a career high 25 points in the 84-64 win over Neosho. Tied 34-34 at the half, Hurst led a 50-30 second half with 16 points including three 3-pointers on 10 of 20 shooting. Harbert added a near triple double with 14 points, 10 rebounds and nine assists; Garrard had 10 points and 10 assists; and Janai Mitchell 7 points and 9 rebounds.
Hurst followed up with 18 points and six rebounds against Saint Mary while Harbert had 16 points, 12 rebounds and 6 assists; Casey 15 points and 6 rebounds; Garrard 7 points and 8 rebounds; and Bailey West 9 points.
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