KC SWEEP! | Muttilib nets 28, as Rangers win in OT; Lady Rangers overwhelm Coastal Bend
By SHAWN CHRISTOPHER
Everybody – at least everybody wanting Kilgore College to win both basketball games on Saturday – was sent home happy.
Both KC teams won their Region XIV Conference home games Saturday afternoon, the Lady Rangers besting Coastal Bend, 92-77,and the Rangers taking care of Angelina College, 70-66 in overtime, thanks in part to a huge performance by Jamil Muttilib.
The Lady Rangers moved to .500 overall – 8-8 – and are now 1-1 in conference play. They’ll play at Panola College on Wednesday, tipping off at 5:30 p.m., and then they’re off until a home game against Paris Junior College on Wednesday, Jan. 24.
Coach Robert Byrd’s Rangers are 13-3 overall, and 3-3 in RXIV. They’re at Jacksonville College on Thursday (moved to Thursday due to the icy weather) at 5 p.m., and then at Paris JC on Saturday at 3.
Kilgore College 92, Coastal Bend 77 (women): Four Lady Rangers scored in double figures in this one, two of them off the bench, as KC scored 30 first-quarter points and just rolled.
There’s still room for criticism, though, as KC was 2-of-20 from three-point range and hit just 14 of the 21 free throws they took. They did hit 45 percent of their shots from the floor, though.
Defensively KC was on point, as CB couldn’t shoot much better – in fact, overall, worse (25-of-69).
Nakiyah Allen had 22 points for KC and had 11 rebounds, an assist, two steals and blocked a shot, and her teammate, BryKayla Hampton, scored 19 points and grabbed six rebounds.
Also for KC, Erin Love had 12 points, six rebounds, two assists and two blocks, and did not miss a single shot she took: 5-of-5 from the floor and 2-of-2 in free throws.
Perina Lieme had 10 points, five rebounds, three assists and a steal.
Nyla Inmon scored nine points, had 12 rebounds, seven assists and two steals, the most consistently-good player on the Lady Rangers’ roster.
Jordan Wright had eight points, two rebounds, and seven assists and was perfect from the line (4-of-4). Tylissa Henderson had seven points, eight rebounds, an assist and a block, and Jarahle Daniels scored five points, had a rebound, an assist and two steals.
Jordan Shephard and Eliza Rodriguez each had 17 for Coastal Bend – Rodriguez had 12 rebounds, three assists and a blocked shot, and Shephard had four rebounds and an assist.
Kilgore College 70, Angelina 66 (men): Tied at 60 after regulation, the Rangers needed something extra to keep from dropping to 2-4 in the always-tough Region XIV Conference, a grind.
Instead, it was Angelina that took the loss, and is now 2-4.
Patrick Johnson of AC tied the game with seven seconds left, but after the Roadrunners had a one-point lead, Muttilib was fouled when trying to shoot a three-pointer, allowing him to go to the free throw line for three shots. He hit all three, putting KC up 64-62.
KC ultimately got in front on a basket by Kaleb Pouncy with 42 seconds left, and with time dwindling, Willie Williams grabbed a big rebound, and Muttilib was fouled again, with just under six seconds remaining. He hit both free throws, and that finished the Roadrunners.
Muttilib wound up with 28 points – including three three-pointers – and did not miss a single free throw, going 11-of-11, 10 of those in the second half and overtime. He also had five rebounds, an assist, three steals and two blocked shots.
Williams had 14 points, 11 rebounds, three assists and was a monster-blocker, with five blocked shots.
Peter Mckey had 16 points, hitting three three-pointers, as well, and also had three rebounds and an assist.
KC Udolisa had five points, seven rebounds, two assists, a steal and a block. Cahmal Crosby scored four points, and had three rebounds, an assist and a block, and Pouncy finished with three points, but had the huge put-back late in overtime to get KC back in front. He also had three rebounds, an assist and a steal.