Two similar teams battling for a victory, trying to climb up a rung in the Jayhawk Eastern Division and Region VI, Division I standings.
It’s been a long time since Allen County Community College’s women have won back-to-back games at home. Probably even longer since they’ve recorded back-to-back conference victories.
A surge with just over six minutes left in the game put the Red Devils in front of the visiting Fort Scott Community College Greyhounds. They held the ’Hounds off to post a 43-38 victory.
“We get the lead and there’s five minutes left in the game. Fort Scott took the timeout and I told our girls, good teams win these games,” said Mark James, ACCC head coach.
“The type of team we want to be wins the close games at home. Big-time players step up in these situations.”
James explained that “big-time” meant making the plays a team needs to win.
“It’s not just hitting a big shot but playing solid defense, coming up with a loose basketball, getting a rebound, making a pass. Those are the things we’re looking for,” James said.
The Red Devils and Greyhounds were in a nip-and-tuck game from the outset. Fort Scott gained a 33-30 lead late in the second half.
Miracle Davis had a conventional three-point play to tie the game for ACCC. Ebonie Jones made a steal. Allen County got a defensive rebound that led to Rackell Goldson drilling a three-point field goal.
Allen County was up 36-33 and Fort Scott took the timeout with 4:57 on the clock. The Red Devil defense came up with a stop and Jayme Peel knocked down a three.
Fort Scott’s Brittany Pearl sank three free throws to make it 39-36 with 1:53 left. The defenses won out in the next minute with Allen County coming up with a key rebound by Hannah Blackwell.
Jones sank the front end of a one-and-one with 35.4 seconds left in the game. But on the rebound of the missed second attempt, Fort Scott’s Burgandie Lewis was fouled and she hit one of two free throws..
Fort Scott forced a tie-up on the inbounds play but the possession arrow was in Allen County’s favor. Davis missed a one-and-one but came up with a rebound on the other end.
Davis stepped to the free-throw line with 15 seconds left in the game and Allen County protecting a three-point lead. She rattled in the first toss and missed the second.
When Pearl was fouled on a three-point field goal attempt with 5 seconds remaining, she hit just one of three tosses. Fort Scott got the ball out of bounds but turned it over two seconds later.
