KANSAS CITY, Kan. — The Allen Community College women squeaked by Kansas City Kansas Community College, 56-53, to advance to the Region VI semifinals on Friday.
The Lady Devils (19-11) shot 62.5% from the floor in the fourth quarter and took the lead for good with just under two minutes left after trailing most of the game. Allen also outrebounded KCKCC, 41 to 32, and shot better overall from the field in the nailbiter.
Allen went ahead early after a Clara Romero layup with three minutes left in the first quarter put her Lady Devils ahead, 5-4. KCKCC responded quickly, and took a lead at the end of the first following a Trinity McDow three-pointer, 12-7.
Kansas City’s Jada Mayberry kept pouring it on for the Blue Devils when she nailed a three for an eight point lead a minute into the second quarter, 15-7. A Naomi Smith two-point jumper brought Allen within two points midway through the second, 15-13.
Each time Allen went down for a shot, KCKCC would respond with baskets of its own Kaylyn Rogers sinking a layup for a 19-16 lead over Allen midway through the second.
Lady Red Devil Noa Muranaka went for a layup and Khamille Warr hit some free throws but KCKCC’s Lacy Whitcomb buried a three with 22 seconds left in the first half for an eight-point lead, 24-16.
Romero banked in another layup to bring Allen within six of KCKCC at halftime, 24-18.
Allen trailed by nine midway through the third quarter on a Rebecca Christodoulou three-pointer for KCKCC, 34-25.
Warr posted a layup with three minutes left in the third to bring Allen within five, 34-29. She sank a pair of free throws with just over a minute to pull within 37-33. The Lady Red Devils trailed the Blue Devils heading to the fourth, 40-33.
That’s when the tone shifted in Allen’s favor.
A Britney Schroer layup a couple minutes into the fourth brought Allen within three, 40-37. Romero then sank a couple of free throws to bring the game back within two only a minute later, 42-40.
When Shade Richardson hit a free throw with three minutes left in the game it gave Allen a 46-44 advantage. After going down again, Muranaka stepped up and hit a three for a 49-48 lead with just under two minutes left.
From there it was about controlling possessions. Muranaka and Smith were each fouled and hit a couple of free throws down the stretch to seal the win.
Allen was led offensively by Schroer, Romero and Warr each scoring 11 points. Schroer knocked down four-of-five of her shot attempts from the field.
The Lady Red Devils tip off against Johnson County in the Mid-America Nazarene in Olathe on Friday at 2 p.m. The winner will take on either Neosho County or Labette at 2 p.m. Saturday for the Region VI championship and a berth in the NJCAA Division II National Tournament in Port Huron, Mich.
