By ALAN HOSKINS
Getting even for an earlier 62-48 loss was only one of the good parts of Kansas City Kansas Community College’s men’s 76-50 rout of Johnson County Wednesday night.
The impressive win not only all but sewed up a first round home game in the Division II playoffs March 5 but put the Blue Devils within reach of a first round bye.
At 4-4 in Division II play, the Blue Devils trail Brown Mackie (6-2) and Johnson County (5-3) for the two bye positions with two games to go starting Saturday when KCKCC plays a pivotal game at Highland (2-5). Johnson County has yet to play at Brown Mackie while both KCKCC and JCCC will finish DII play against Fort Scott (2-4).
The Blue Devil women (2-6), meanwhile, trail Hesston (2-5) by a half-game for a first round home playoff berth after dropping a 67-33 decision to No. 2 ranked and Jayhawk Conference leader JCCC.
The Lady Cavaliers, who are 22-1 overall, are 11-1 in the Jayhawk and lead Cowley (10-1) by a half game and are 7-1 in Division II, a half-game ahead of Highland (6-1).
Four Blue Devils were in double figures and six had three-point goals as KCKCC grabbed an early lead and never looked back in the men’s game. Dominique Washington led with a double double with 17 points and 10 rebounds while Evrard Atcho just missed with 12 points and nine rebounds – along with three blocked shots and four rim-rattling dunks.
Jordon Banks added 15 points, five assists and five rebounds, D.J. Booker 10 points, five assists and four steals; Evan Burns nine points on three 3-pointers; and Antonio Winn eight points and a game high six assists. Committing just nine turnovers, the Blue Devils shot 48.3 percent while holding the Cavaliers to .351. “A real good balanced effort as we continue to get better,” said KCKCC Coach Jon Oler.
One of the top defensive teams in the nation in either Division I or 11, the Johnson County women lowered their defensive average to 40.1 points a game by limiting KCKCC to just 4-of-27 shots (.148) en route to building a 39-14 halftime lead.
KCKCC’s Paris Johnson led all scorers with 16 points but only three other Blue Devils scored from the field.
Jherica Montgomery had seven rebounds and Alexandria Blaurock six but the Cavaliers dominated the rebounding 53-37 and limited the Blue Devils to a season low 18.6 shooting percentage.
