INDEPENDENCE — A late-game swoon snuffed a golden opportunity for Allen Community College to pick up its first win conference win of the season Wednesday.
The Red Devils went without a field goal for the final 10 1/2 minutes of regulation, and without a point over the last four-plus minutes of the game.
Meanwhile, host Independence closed the game with a 28-4 run to turn a 14-point deficit into a 57-47 victory.
The loss drops Allen to 4-19 overall and 0-11 in Jayhawk Conference play.
The Red Devils took their biggest lead of the game, 43-29, with DeAndrae Barnette’s 3-pointer midway through the second half.
Independence responded with a 13-0 run to close within 43-42. Rountree went 4 of 6 from the line over a two-minute stretch to extend the lead to 47-42 with 4:29 remaining.
That was it offensively for the Red Devils.
Independence’s Dominique Jefferson tied the score with a free throw at the 2:39 mark. His layup with 1:42 left gave the Pirates a 49-47 advantage, their first lead in the second half. TraVaughn White’s basket with just under a minute gave Independence a two-possession lead, 51-47.
The Pirates sealed the win at the free throw line.
Barnette was Allen’s main offensive catalyst, pouring in 18 points. Iolan Seth Walden chipped in with seven points, while Rountree scored six.
Rountree, Allen’s leading scorer at 13.5 points per game, was limited to six, all coming from the free throw line.
White scored 22 points to lead Independence, followed by Jervon Hooks with 15 and Jefferson with 13.
Allen returns home at about 4 p.m. Saturday to host Fort Scott.
ACC men falter late
