Printer-friendly versionSend to friend

By ALAN HOSKINS, Kansan Contributor

The Blue Devils of Kansas City Kansas Community College took out their frustrations of an opening 70-69 Jayhawk Conference loss at Highland on Labette Saturday, pummeling the Cardinals 85-63.

The Lady Blue Devils, however, dropped a 71-53 decision to one of the Jayhawk East favorites and already a 67-49 winner over previously unbeaten and 14th ranked Independence.

The loss dropped the Lady Blue Devils to 8-3 heading into their final non-conference game of the season against Saint Mary JV at Leavenworth Tuesday at 6 p.m. while the KCKCC men improved to 10-1 heading into their non-conference final against William Jewell’s JV in Liberty Thursday at 7 p.m.

Freshman forward Dennis Tinnon was the catalyst in the win over Labette. Playing in only his second game after missing five games with a stress reaction, the 6-7 native of Green Bay was seven of seven from the field for 14 points and grabbed 10 rebounds in leading KCKCC to a 48-27 halftime lead.

Playing sparingly in the second half, he finished with16 points and 12 rebounds.

He had lots of help as Monty Taylor added 12 points, Melvin Gatson and Scott Fruehling 11 each, Jonathan Wright 10, Derick Denny 9 and Andre Metoyer 7. 

Fruehling and Denny each had three 3-pointers and Wright two as the Blue Devils shot 54.5 percent from distance in the first half. KCKCC also had a 46-32 rebound advantage as Metoyer added nine to Tinnon’s 12.

The Blue Devil women spotted Labette an 11-0 lead and could never catch up despite a spectacular offensive performance by freshman Allyssa Rushton of Rochester, Minn., who scored a career high 27 points on 9 of 14 shooting including 4 of 6 three-pointers.

Michelle Selbe and Shannon Carlin added eight points each for the Blue Devils, who were outrebounded 38-26.