KC LADIES WIN, MEN SLIP | December break coming soon; Rangers need a conference win
It was a split decision here at Masters Gymnasium on Saturday, with the Kilgore College Lady Rangers snapping a five-game losing streak with a win over the 903 Elite, but the Rangers dropping the nightcap against the visiting Blinn Buccaneers.
Coach Robert Byrd’s Rangers have just two games left before their break, both conference games: coach Byrd’s team will visit his former team, Coastal Bend, this Wednesday, a 6 p.m. tip-off there, and then they’ll host Southern University-Shreveport in a non-conference game at noon.
The Lady Rangers are off Wednesday, then back at action at home on Saturday, hosting Western Gulf at 2 p.m., right after the men’s game against Southern-Shreveport. KC’s ladies won’t start Region XIV Conference play until after the rather lengthy December break and the first of the year.
Blinn 88, KC 56 (men): The Rangers dropped to 0-2 in conference play with a rough home loss Saturday, as the Bucs came in and got five players in double figures – including 20 points from Jamine Charles off the bench.
It didn’t go that way for the Rangers, who had only two players in double figures – Willie Williams for 17 points and Jamil Muttilib, who had 11. KC hit just 19 shots in the game, going 19-of-66 from the floor, and 3-of-20 from three-point range.
Williams had six rebounds, went 5-of-6 at the free throw line and had two assists and three steals. Muttilib had two rebounds and two assists.
Also for KC in the loss, Peter Mckey and Ikechukwu Nwaobi each had eight points – Mckey had two assists and two steals, and Nwaobi had six rebounds. Cahmai Crosby had five points and seven rebounds, and a blocked shot. KC Udolisa had five points, as well, and Larry Lyons had two.
KC dropped to 8-4 overall with the loss, and unfortunately, they’re off to an 0-2 start in conference play. The Rangers are 3-2 at home so far this season.
Lamar State 75, KC 70 (men): In the Rangers’ road loss last week at Port Arthur to open conference play, Muttilib and Williams each had 18 points; Williams had 12 rebounds and Muttilib had eight; Mckey had 14 points, four rebounds and four assists.
Nwaobi had nine points off the bench, but fouled out. Crosby had five points and seven rebounds.
Kilgore College 100, 903 Elite 54 (women): The Lady Rangers haven’t gotten a win in a while (one game was canceled), since back to Nov. 8. But that came to an end with this win over a club squad on Saturday at Masters.
Kilgore College got 22 points, four rebounds a steal and an assist from Tylissa Henderson, who went 9-of-13 in shooting – in fact, the Lady Rangers took 80 shots, hitting 40 of them, exactly 50 percent. They did go just 4-of-21 from three-point range, though.
BryKayla Hampton got 20 points and five rebounds, and had three steals. Nakiyah Allen had 19 points, 10 rebounds, four steals, two blocks and two assists. Nyla Inmon had 11 points, 11 rebounds, six assists, four steals and a block.
Jarahle Daniels had eight points, five steals and five assists; Jordan Wright and Erin Love each had seven points – Love had six rebounds and Wright had four steals; and Perina Lieme had six points and three rebounds.
KC’s defense played well, too, as only two Elite players scored in double figures: Mazey Elle had 11 points, and Alex Turner had 10. Elle had five rebounds, and Turner had two, to go with two steals.
Chanel Kattien had nine points for 903.