Tied at halftime, Allen County Community College women’s head coach Mark James thought his team had broken out of a pattern. The Red Devils hadn’t had a 7-10 minute scoring lull in the first half.
But the pattern reared its head in the opening 10 minutes of the second half. Going from a 21-all game to facing a 10-point deficit, the Red Devils battled with Coffeyville Community College’s Red Ravens.
It was to no avail. Coffeyville never allowed Allen County to get closer than eight points and pulled away by hitting free throws down the stretch for a 60-45 victory. The Red Ravens spoiled the Red Devils’ Jayhawk Eastern Division home opener Saturday.
“It’s frustrating to say the same things after each game but I believe it. Our kids play hard and I’ve told them that if they play hard for 40 minutes that good things will start to happen,” James said. “Right now, we’re not very consistent.”
Allen County shot 27 percent from the field in the first half which translated into a 21-21 halftime score with visiting Coffeyville. The Red Devil players were getting to the rim in the second half but could not finish with baskets. They shot a chilled 19 percent, 7 of 37, from the field in the second half.
“We got what we wanted in those first 10 minutes of the second half. Usually we have that 7 to 10 minute lull and I felt really good about where we were at halftime. That lull sets the table for our second half — we either have to battle to come back from a large deficit or we’re still in the game but behind,” James said.
In the first half, back-to-back three-pointers from Rackell Goldson and Maggie Stithem put Allen County up 6-5. Stithem, who came off the bench, drilled another trey at the 13:43 mark for a 9-7 lead.
Ebonie Jones and Endesha Flanigan scored to hand the Red Devils a 13-8 advantage. The game was tied three more times. Goldson broke one of those with a trey putting the Red Devils up 19-16 with 2:31 left.
With 53 seconds left in the first half, Jayme Peel connected and Allen County held a 21-18 lead. Karia Robinson put the teams in their fourth tied situation with a three for Coffeyville.
Down 25-21 in the second half, Allen County’s Brittney Redmond knocked down a three-pointer. That was at the 16:24 mark. Allen County didn’t score again until Miracle Davis sank four straight free throws in a 30-second span. Coffeyville led 36-28 with 10 minutes remaining in the game.
The Red Devils could not break through the eight-point barrier. The Red Ravens cashed in on 18 of 28 free throw attempts while “we struggled from the free-throw line (9 of 19), “ James pointed out.
Allen County finished the game shooting 23 percent, 15 of 66, from the field. Davis, who was 8 of 15 from the line, led the Red Devils with 10 points, nine rebounds, two steals and seven assists. Stithem finished with 11 points.
Hannah Blackwell pulled down six rebounds. Johnnea Saulsberry had two steals. Allen County had 15 turnovers.
“Coffeyville, which has a height advantage over us, usually outrebounds opponents by 10 but only beat us on the board by three. We just have to become a more consistent team,” James said.
The Red Ravens held a 49 to 46 edge in rebounding. Coffeyville turned the ball over 20 times.
