LADY RANGERS WIN BIG; RANGERS SLIP | Panola gets out with win; ladies crush Coastal Bend

By SHAWN CHRISTOPHER

KILGORE – It was a split here on Saturday at Masters Gymnasium on the Kilgore College campus, as the KC Lady Rangers handily defeated Coastal Bend, 104-41, in the first game of a Region XIV Conference doubleheader, but the Rangers were nipped, 64-62, in the second game.

KC 104, Coastal Bend 41 (women): The Lady Rangers dropped 30 points in the first quarter and never looked back for a second straight overall win, and another win at home, where they have an 8-1 record this season.

Coach Stephanie Williams’ Lady Rangers are 13-7 on the season to date, 3-2 in conference play and they’ve got a big one coming up – that’s an understatement. It’s at Tyler Junior College on Wednesday night, a 5:30 p.m. tipoff, the first of two games against TJC this season. TJC is currently sitting in second place (3-1) in the Region XIV Conference standings (Blinn is 4-1, in first; KC’s 3-2 record has them in a tie with Panola for fourth).

After that, KC’s ladies will be back home next Saturday, Feb. 1, to host Paris Junior College, a 2 p.m. start.

KC’s defense played very well in the win over Coastal Bend on Saturday. Only one CBC player, Diane Lara, scored in double figures; Lara had 16 points and 12 rebounds, a double-double. No one else on the CBC roster was close.

Coastal Bend shot just 24 percent from the floor and went 5-of-25 from three-point range.

It was a different story for the Lady Rangers, who had five players in double figures: Nakiyah Allen, with 20; Deyna Topia, off the bench with 16; Brooklyn King, also off the bench with 15; Jarahle Daniels, with 12; and Camryn Beck, another player who didn’t start but came up big, scoring 11 and grabbing 10 rebounds.

Allen had five rebounds, four steals and an assist; Topia had a rebound and four assists and a steal; Daniels had two assists and a steal; King had six rebounds, four assists, eight steals and blocked two shots (!), and Beck also had an assist to go with her double-double.

In addition, Madison Bob just missed on double figures with nine points and also had a rebound and an assist; Kamari Forrest had six points, six rebounds, three assists, two steals and a blocked shot; Ja’Sani Green had five points, and also had 10 rebounds, an assist and blocked two shots; Rhyeli Hendrick had four points, four assists and two steals; Rhianna Battles scored two points and had a rebound and two steals; Alana Trail had two points and six assists; and Tylissa Henderson had two points, two rebounds and two assists.

Panola 64, KC 62 (men): There is quite a bit of time in the regular season, but these are the wins the Rangers need – close games at home.

Can’t bring ‘em back, though.

KC drops to 10-9 on the season, and 4-7 in the conference with the loss, and considering the conference leaders are Angelina and Trinity Valley – each with a 9-1 conference record – the Rangers need to make up ground.

Like the Lady Rangers, coach Robert Byrd’s men will be on the road, where they’re 4-4 this season, at Paris on Wednesday night, a 7 p.m. tipoff, and then return home to face his former program, Coastal Bend, on Saturday, Feb. 1, at 4 p.m. at Masters Gym.

In the close loss to Panola, Panola’s Khoi Thurmond had 20 points, nine rebounds, five assists, and blocked three shots. Enel St. Bernard chipped in 12 points.

For KC, Allen’s Kaiden Myers had another good game – 20 points – and also had three rebounds. Myers has had 48 points the last two games. Cahmai Crosby had 14 points, seven assists, four rebounds, and two steals for KC.

Abdullah Olajuwon had 11 points, 10 rebounds, and a steal. Joshua Olutayo had nine points, seven rebounds and a blocked shot. Nekabari Mii had seven points and five rebounds. Bryson Holmes had a point, five rebounds and a steal.

Savod Godwin didn’t score, but had five rebounds. Jonathan Byrd had three boards.