KC MEN BOW OUT, AS WELL | Lee gets by Rangers, makes RXIV title game
Kilgore College players listen as coach Robert Byrd talks during a time-out Wednesday against Bossier Parish. KC won two games this week in the Region XIV Conference Tournament at Tyler Junior College, but No. 1 seed Lee College proved to be just a little, just barely, too much on Friday night, getting by KC, 65-61, to advance to the conference’s men’s championship game Saturday. KC’s Lady Rangers lost in the semifinals Friday, as well, to Trinity Valley. (Photo by ANNETTE WILEY – SPECIAL TO ETBLITZ.COM)
By SHAWN CHRISTOPHER
TYLER – Seeded fifth, with a first-year head coach, some might say the Kilgore College Rangers overachieved for the 2023-24 season, getting all the way into the semifinals of one of the nation’s deepest, most talented junior college basketball conferences before bowing out.
But call them overachievers, early-arrivers, whatever the case may be: the Rangers did keep momentum going from their recent seasons, and also served notice at the same time that they aren’t going away.
KC fell short Friday night, but gave a spirited effort to top-seeded Lee College here in the semifinals of the Region XIV Conference Men’s Tournament before falling, 65-61. In fact, it appeared briefly that KC was out of it, only for the Rangers to get back within two (61-59), and Lee to have to just escape.
Trinity Valley beat Panola, 72-70, in the second semifinal, and that means Trinity Valley will have both of its programs in Saturday’s championship games.
The first game, a 4 p.m. start, will be the Region XIV Women’s Championship Game, a rematch from a season ago between Trinity Valley’s Lady Cardinals and Blinn.
The second game, of course, will be Lee College taking on the Trinity Valley Cardinals, a 7 p.m. start, both of them back at Tyler Junior College’s Floyd Wagstaff Gymnasium, where both tournaments have been played all week in their entirety.
The Trinity Valley Lady Cardinals beat Kilgore College, 71-58, to reach the women’s title game – here’s our story from earlier Friday: LADY RANGERS’ RUN ENDS | Trinity Valley escapes, 71-58; Rangers facing Lee in semis (etblitz.com).
The Rangers, too, were in a tough, close battle with Lee down until the final couple of minutes, and it appeared Lee had pulled away, only for KC to come roaring back with not much time left.
But it was not to be. Each time one of the Rangers hit a shot, to get KC closer, it seemed Lee – specifically De’Vion Lavergne – had an answer. Lavergne only had 13 points in the game, but it felt to Rangers fans like he had 25, because they were daggers in the final moments.
De’Vonte Austin actually led Lee with 16 points. Lavergne’s 13 was second-best in the game for Lee. And Abou Camara was the only other Lee player with double-figures (12 points). Camara also had eight rebounds – nobody else had more than four.
KC had to play without Willie Williams, who had a double-double in the quarterfinal win Thursday against Blinn – Williams was ill and couldn’t play against Lee.
The Rangers got 15 points from Kaleb Pouncy; 14 points, five rebounds and three assists from Cahmai Crosby; 12 points and 13 rebounds, an assist and two steals from Jamil Muttilib; nine points and three rebounds, and an assist, from Peter Mckey; and off the bench, six points from KC Udolisa and five points and six rebounds from Jamir Turner.
The long-ball – or the lack thereof – was a killer for the Rangers: 1-of-14 from three-point range, and thy hit only 22-of-34 of their free throws. Lee went 8-of-16 from the free-throw line, and 5-of-20 from three-point range.
The season ends, of course, for the Rangers, and the careers at KC for a talented sophomore class that includes former Kilgore High School standout Thomas Hattaway.
KC’s men finish the season with a 24-10 record.