BLUE DEVILS EDGED 52-49 IN CLASH THAT HAD 17 LEAD CHANGES

In a game fitting of an NCAA championship game, Kansas City Kansas Community College and Wentworth Military Academy staged a furious head-to-head battle Monday, Jan. 13.

Four times the game was tied and the lead changed hands 17 times before Wentworth escaped with a 52-49 win in a game that went right down to the final shot.

Trailing by six points midway through the second half,  the Blue DevilS led 49-46 on two Anthony Ridley free throws with 1:42 left but failed to score again, turning the ball over twice and then missing two game-tying three-pointers in the final 14 seconds. Togni Gabriel,  who led all scorers with 20 points, ignited Wentworth's 6-0 finish with a spectacular dunk shot and then had the assist that put the Dragons in front to stay.

Lucas Smith led the Blue Devils with 11 points and 10 rebounds while Collin Adney added 11 points; Sumner Academy grad Marcus Allen made his KCKCC debut with 10 points; and Ridley scored nine points and handed out six assists.

The loss was the ninth in a row for the Blue Devils (5-12), who are home against Westminster Friday at 7 p.m. The game was originally scheduled for Thursday.