So much has changed since Allen Community College’s 11-game winning streak that put them atop the Jayhawk East.
Since then, the Red Devils have gone 2-6 in conference play. It hasn’t helped that ACC has been hit with a severe dose of the injury bug. The Red Devils were without 3-point specialist Cannan Daniel due to an elbow injury, backup center Donell Carter, and usual starter Trez Hankins came off the bench as he is still nursing an ankle injury.
In fact, ACC had only nine players in uniform for Saturday’s contest versus Butler. The Grizzlies now — 14-4 — were only one game ahead of ACC heading into the game, but the Red Devils were no test for Butler, losing 90-75.
“That one was very frustrating,” ACC head coach Andy Shaw said.” We started up 3-0, and from there we didn’t look like our normal selves. I thought we looked like we were in slow motion, and trying to play catchup the whole game. They were moving the basketball, knocking down open shots, and we were trying to play isolation 1-on-1. We were being really selfish tonight.”
Shaikim Jenk’s trey to open the scoring was ACC’s only lead of the contest. The Grizzlies answered with an 8-0 run, forcing Shaw to take a timeout to regroup his men with 16 minutes remaining in the first half. After a bucket from Joel Boyce, Hankins connected from long range, making the score 8-12 in the game’s early goings.
An and-one finish from Malik Hardmon brought the Devils within single digits, but the Grizzlies boosted their lead to 42-26 at the halftime whistle.
Shaw pointed out that the Red Devils had faced similar halftime deficits this season, and had been able to claw back, forcing tightly contested games down the stretch. On Saturday, there was no sense of that fight.
The only bright spot in the second half for the Red Devils was a fast-break slam by Boyce, but the Devils still trailed by 19 with 15 minutes remaining in the second half. Despite the desolate showing, Coach Shaw remains optimistic looking forward.
“It was just disheartening to come out like that,” Shaw said. “But there always seems to be two games a year where we flat out don’t look right, and the other team is just making shots. I just hope it’s one of those, but we’ve got some dysfunction we have to figure out.”
As for the toll caused by injuries, Shaw isn’t one to make excuses, but admits it has been difficult.
“Practice has just been weird the last week and-a-half or so,” Shaw said. “It has been a constant shuffle of guys being in and out, so that has been frustrating. But you know at this time of the year everyone is going through it, and no one is going to feel sorry for you.”
The 90-75 loss moves ACC down to fifth in the Jayhawk East with a 9-6 record. The Red Devils have a busy week, traveling to Coffeyville today, and hosting Cloud County Tuesday before traveling to Cowley on Saturday.
