Allen County Community College’s Red Devils made Highland Community College’s Scotties pretty uncomfortable for most of Saturday’s Jayhawk Eastern Division game.
Highland’s women came in with the No. 5 ranking in NJCAA Division II basketball. Their only loss was to Division II top-ranked Johnson County Community College.
Allen County’s women have just two wins in conference play but gave the Scotties all they wanted. Unfortunately for the Red Devils, the Scotties had more firepower for a 78-63 win.
Sophomore Rackell Goldson set the tone just 10 seconds into the game, nailing a three-pointer for ACCC. Goldson had the Red Devils up 5-1 but found herself in quick foul trouble.
“When your two best players get into foul trouble that early, it’s tough. Rackell is playing lights out right now,” said Mark James, ACCC women’s head coach.
Miracle Davis, freshman point guard, picked up her second foul as well by the midway point of the first half. James said the Red Devils follow Davis and “with both Rackell and Miracle on the bench it made it rough on us.”
“But these girls don’t give up. They play hard the full 40 minutes ,and if they continue to do that the wins will come,” he said.
Case in point, the Red Devils were down by just six points, 36-30, at halftime.
Ebonie Jones had a three-point play for Allen County with 9:05 left in the first half. Endesha Flanigan sank two free throws and the Red Devils cut the gap to five, 19-14.
The Red Devils kept themselves in the game and it was 26-18 when Goldson hit a three. Johnnea Saulsberry hit a jump shot to set off a seven-point run by the Devils.
Flanigan sank both ends of a one-and-one. With 1:58 left in the first half, Goldson connected from long range again and tied the score at 28-28.
The Scotties outscored the Red Devils 8-2 down the stretch. That put them up by six at the break.
Frustration continued for Davis and Goldson in the second half. Davis had a basket but also picked up her fourth foul with 18:24 left. She went to the ACCC bench with her team trailing by four.
Goldson fourth trey of the night cut the deficit to one, 40-39. Flanigan, Brittney Redmond and Jayme Peel got into the scoring act for ACCC. Redmond had five points and Flanigan added two free throws.
Peel’s three tied the game at 49-49 with 12:37 left. Highland’s Kathryn Thomas took over the game, scoring seven of the Scotties’ next eight points to thwart Allen County’s charge.
