The Allen Community College basketball program took the court for the first time in 2016 on Saturday, but neither the Red Devils nor the Lady Red Devils were able to start off the new year on the right foot.
Coach Andy Shaw and the men’s team fell to Barton Community College, 80-72. The ACC women’s team, led by coach Todd Buchanan, took the floor against Barton and lost, 78-67.
Both squads hadn’t played a game in a little more than three weeks. Before the school took its winter break, neither the men’s or women’s teams had more than five days off between contests.
So both Shaw and Buchanan witnessed their players attempt to shake off the long layover and the rust that goes with it.
For the Lady Red Devils, shooting was once again an issue.
Although Allen was able to knock down 42.1 percent of its shot attempts from inside the three-point arc, it struggled when shooting just beyond the arc.
On the night, the team was a combined 7-for-24 from three-point range. With a decent percentage on two-point shots and free-throw attempts (73.7), the Lady Red Devils would have certainly been in position to win had their long distance shooting been up to the same par.
Three of Allen’s players managed to record double-digit scoring performances in the loss.
Ariyah Sorrells and Mc-Kena Arlt led the team with 12 points each while Zasha Taylor finished the night with 10 points.
Damonica Franklin had the most rebounds for the Lady Red Devils with 6.
Turnovers were also a cause of concern for Allen. All but one player (Taylor) had a giveaway on the night. The Lady Red Devils finished the game with 17 total turnovers.
Buchanan has now seen his squad drop its ninth straight contest after starting the season 4-2.
Now the Lady Red Devils sit seven games below .500 and winless in their five Kansas Jayhawks Community College Conference matchups.
Only Colby Community College is currently below Allen in the division standings.
Meanwhile, the Red Devils were hoping to carry over momentum from their last win on Dec. 10 into Saturday’s game against Barton.
However, Shaw’s team fell just a tad short in its eight-point defeat.
A victory over the weekend would have been the second straight for the Red Devils and an opportunity to get closer to a .500 record within conference play.
But now the loss will send Allen further back in the division as it drops to 9-6 overall and 1-4 in the KJCCC. The defeat was also the team’s fourth in five games after it kicked off the season with an 8-2 record.
Allen’s next game is Wednesday at Colby starting at 6 p.m. with the women’s game before the men take the court at 8 p.m.
ACC men, women start off new year with losses
