January 8, 2007                    

Cowley men pick up first conference win

Holding Kansas City to 18.3 percent shooting, the Cowley College men’s basketball team knocked off the Blue Devils 48-38 Saturday at W.S. Scott Auditorium/Dan Kahler Court.

The win improves the Tigers’ record to 7-7 overall and 1-1 in the Jayhawk Conference Eastern Division.

Cowley head coach Brian Jackson was pleased with his team’s defensive effort following the 87 points it allowed in a loss at Labette last Wednesday.

“We are always going to be rooted in defense and as long as our guys defend we will have a chance to win,” Jackson said.

Cowley did not allow Kansas City to score its first basket of the game until nearly 10 minutes had gone by in the first half. The Tigers led 22-14 at the end of the first half, but had its lead trimmed to 26-20 after a three-pointer by the Blue Devils’ Kamrik Lamont with 15:55 remaining in the game.

The Tigers answered with a 13-5 run that was capped by a three-pointer by James Loe with 8:10 left to play. Kansas City did not come within 10 points of the Tigers the rest of the game as they fall to 11-3 overall and 1-1 in the Jayhawk East.

Loe led all scorers with 18 points, while freshman Larry Cox added 12 points and a game-high 13 rebounds. Sophomore Matt Muncy chipped in with nine points and six rebounds.

Kansas City failed to have a player score in double figures as Greg Smith led the Blue Devils with eight points.

Cowley used only seven players in the contest and was once again without its top-two scorers. The Tigers will now prepare to play at Neosho County Wednesday at 8 p.m. Neosho is 5-9 overall and 0-2 in the Jayhawk East.

“Every game for us will be a challenge considering the circumstances,” Jackson said.

Box score:

Kansas City (38): Joe Hutchingson 2-8 3-4 7, David Nurse 1-13 4-4 7, Kamrik Lamont 3-10 0-0 7, Ryan Spearman 1-11 0-0 3, Mike Sylvara 1-6 1-6 3, Eric Nitsche 0-5 0-0 0, Tyler Freuhling 0-1 0-0 0, Greg Smith 2-5 3-4 8, Dominique Grayson 0-0 1-2 1, Maurice Knight 1-1 0-0 2. Totals: 11-60 12-20 38.

Cowley (48): Matt Muncy 3-5 2-2 9, Larry Cox 5-11 1-3 12, Joe Harvey 0-5 2-2 2, Eric Hammond 1-6 0-0 2, James Loe 7-18 3-4 18, Ludovic Dovonou 0-4 1-2 1, Nikola Grbicic 1-2 2-4 4. Totals: 17-51 11-17 48.

Three-pointers: Kansas City 4-24 (Hutchingson 0-3, Nurse 1-7, Lamont 1-3, Spearman 1-6, Nitsche 0-3, Freuhling 0-1, Smith 1-1), Cowley 3-12 (Muncy 1-2, Cox 1-2, Hammond 0-2, Loe 1-6). Rebounds: Kansas City 42 (Hutchingson 9), Cowley 44 (Cox 13). Assists: Kansas City 6 (Spearman 2), Cowley 4 (Hammond 3). Turnovers: Kansas City 16, Cowley 17. Total fouls: Kansas City 20, Cowley 19. Fouled out: Nurse, Knight. Technicals: none.