Allen County Community College’s women held leads of 10 and eight points throughout the first 34 minutes of Saturday’s home game. They even led by two, 54-52 with 3:42 left in the game.
But the Red Devils couldn’t hold on. Kansas City, Kan., Community College’s Blue Devils scored 10 unanswered points to finish the game and win 62-54.
“We got through these (scoring) droughts and I just don’t know what to do. We’re just so inconsistent and don’t have the leadership we need to have someone step up and spark us,” said Andy Hamilton, ACCC head coach.
“We had a good game plan going into the game and for 35 minutes, the girls executed it well.”
Allen County gained a lead on two three-pointers by Dysyan Malone and Breanna Shaw. The Red Devils trailed at the time 4-0.
It was a close game as the team’s traded leads. Kansas City was up 12-9 when Danielle Best came off the ACCC bench and hit a three to tie the game.
Malone sank one of two free throws to put ACCC up 13-12. The game was tied two more times in the next three minutes.
Three consecutive free throws by Aeriss McNeese gave the Red Devils a 22-21 lead. The Red Devils got back-to-back baskets by Jennifer House and Nicole Rockhold,
The Red Devils led 27-21 at halftime. A baseline jumper by Jazmynn Johnson pushed their lead to eight to open the second half.
Shaw and Johnson combined at the offensive end to get the Red Devils a 10-point lead. Johnson’s jump shot with 15:36 made it 38-28. Johnson scored just over a minute later and Allen County’s lead was 40-32.
Then came a six-minute scoring drought. When Johnson scored again at the 8:46 mark, the Red Devils trailed 43-42.
“We didn’t value possession. In the first half, our defense was great. We had seven turnovers at halftime and Kansas City had 15,” Hamilton said.
“It was the opposite in the second half — we had 13 and they had eight. Rebounding and turnovers told the story.”
Kansas City outrebounded Allen County 41 to 27. The Blue Devils also hit 16 of 17 free throw attempts in the game while the Red Devils were 10 of 19.
Allen County trailed 52-49 on back-to-back baskets by Kansas City’s Laci Schreiber. Rockhold tied the game with a three-pointer at the 4:10 mark.
McNeese came up with a steal and Johnson worked inside for a basket. That put ACCC up 54-52. Allen County didn’t score again.
The Red Devils shot 39 percent, 19 of 49, from the field. Johnson and Shaw each scored 12 points.
Malone controlled 10 rebounds, made four steals and had three assists. Shaw had three assists and Rockhold had four steals.
Kansas City was led by Melanie Phipps with 15 points and 12 rebounds. Alyssa Rushton added 13 and Schreiber had 12.
The Blue Devils shot 40 percent, 21 of 52, from the field.
Allen County dropped its third straight game. It is 2-12 in Jayhawk Eastern Division play and 8-18 overall.
Allen County travels to Chanute Wednesday to play Neosho County Community College (4-10, 9-17). On Jan. 20, Neosho County defeated Allen County 94-91 in Iola.
Allen County (27-27—54) (FG/3-pt): Shaw 1/3-1-4-12, Shaffer 0-0-3-0, Malone 1/1-3-0-8, Best 0/1-0-2-3, McNeese 1-4-0-6, Rockhold 2/1-0-0-7, House 2-2-0-6, Johnson 6-0-3-12. TOTALS: 13/6-10-12-54.
Kansas City (21-41—62) (FG/3-pt): Beleusova 0/2-0-1-6, Wham 0-0-1-0, Carlin 1-0-1-2, Phipps 2/1-8-2-15, David 1-3-3-5, Rushton 3/1-4-2-13, Rowan 0-0-2-0, Craft 4-1-1-9, Schreiber 6-0-2-12. TOTALS: 17/4-16-15-62.
ACCC women let one slip away against KCK
