BLUE DROPS TWO | KC teams slip at home, but back Saturday; 4 games left before RXIV tourney
By SHAWN CHRISTOPHER
Special to ETBLITZ.COM
A Region XIV Conference doubleheader at Kilgore College’s Masters Gym didn’t go the way of either KC basketball team Wednesday night, as both the Rangers and Lady Rangers suffered losses.
Blinn dealt the Lady Rangers a 66-57 defeat – that was actually the first loss at home for KC all season – and then Navarro got by the Rangers in the nightcap, 75-70.
Both teams will be back at home for another doubleheader on Saturday, beginning at 2 p.m. when KC’s women host Panola College in a huge game; the Rangers will follow against Lamar State-Port Arthur, likely a 3:45-4 p.m. tip-off.
Blinn 66, KC 57 (women): A close first half played into a close third period – but things went sideways for KC in the fourth, a 21-point burst by the Lady Bucs.
And the Lady Rangers (17-8) just didn’t have much of a burst Wednesday night, at least offensively. Nakiyah Allen finished with 14 points and was the only Lady Ranger in double figures – and no one was close.
Allen had seven rebounds and three assists, as well.
Madison Bob grabbed 11 rebounds to go with her eight points, and Ja’Sani Green and Anyla Herbert each had seven points; Green added four rebounds.
Jarahle Danies chipped in six points and had five rebounds and four assists; Tylissa Henderson also scored six; Rhianna Battles had three and Camryn Beck, two.
As mentioned, the loss was somewhat costly in the conference standings, as KC slipped to fourth place with the defeat, down to 6-4 in conference play and into a tie with Panola for fourth. That’s why Saturday’s contest is a big one.
KC dropped its first meeting with Panola in Carthage 69-64, back on Jan. 18.
The Lady Rangers only have four games left in the regular season, and then it’s the annual conference tournament.
After hosting Panola on Saturday, they’ll visit Paris on Wednesday, a 5:30 p.m. start; visit Coastal Bend on Saturday, March 1, at 2; and then close the regular season, somewhat fittingly, at home against Tyler Junior College on Wednesday, March 5.
TJC is immediately in front of KC in the standings right now, in third place with a 7-3 conference mark.
Navarro 75, KC 70 (men): The Rangers’ second-straight loss dropped them to 7-11 in conference play, in a three-way tie with Bossier Parish and Paris.
KC (13-12 overall) had a couple of pop nights from Cahmai Crosby and Kaiden Myers – as in, made the crowd pop. Crosby dropped in 27 points and also had three rebounds and a couple of assists. Myers scored 22, and grabbed four rebounds.
Unfortunately, no one else hit double figures and KC came up short.
Nekabari Mii had seven points and five rebounds, and Bryson Holmes had six points. Joshua Olutayo and Jonathan Byrd each scored four. Savod Godwin didn’t score but did have seven rebounds.
For Navarro, Jaquarious Patterson and Jalen Griffith each had 15 points, and Griffith had eight assists. Jayden Pretty scored 12 off the bench.
Help is coming for the Rangers, and we don’t mean that sarcastically, in the form of Lamar State-Port Arthur, Saturday’s opponent. Lamar-Port Arthur is 4-21 on the season overall and just 1-16 in conference play – they’ve lost 14 straight.
Like the Lady Rangers, though, KC doesn’t have a lot of time left in the regular season.
There are four games remaining, counting Saturday’s game.
After Lamar-Port Arthur, the Rangers visit Panola College on Wednesday, a 7:30 p.m. tip, and then host Angelina College next Saturday, March 1, another 4 o’clock game.
They wrap up the regular season with a trip to TJC on Wednesday, March 5, a 6 o’clock start that night.
And then it’s the conference tournament.
