The Kansas City Kansas Community College men's basketball team fell to Fort Scott Community College 65-64 in a tightly contested game Saturday at Breidenthal Court. KCKCC narrowed the gap with a 33-point second half, but the Greyhounds maintained their lead by capitalizing on free throws, going 19-27 from the line. The game saw multiple lead changes, with the Blue Devils largest lead at three points early in the first half.
KCKCC took an early 3-0 lead following a three-pointer by Jameson Fischer at the 17:44 mark. Fort Scott responded with a 15-2 run, highlighted by a jumper from Noah Porter at 16:32 and a fastbreak layup at 14:40 assisted by Cass Henry. The Blue Devils struggled to find their rhythm in the middle of the first half, as the Greyhounds extended their lead to 29-14 by the 5:07 mark on a layup by Porter. Despite a late surge, including a three-pointer by Jameson Fischer at 1:35, KCKCC trailed 37-31 at halftime after Devin Boone's layup in the final seconds.
KCKCC and Fort Scott experienced a tightly contested second half. The Greyhounds initially extended their lead to nine points, driven by consistent scoring from Porter, who delivered crucial layups in the paint. KCKCC rallied behind Anthony Leonard's shooting, including a pivotal three-pointer with 4:04 remaining, to close the gap. In the final seconds, Fischer converted two free throws to tie the game at 64-64 with just three seconds remaining. Fort Scott guard, Jadyn Hollis, was able to inbound the ball, receive it right back and get fouled with just one second remaining in the game. Hollis was able to clinch the win for the Greyhounds with a free throw, securing a 65-64 victory.
Fischer led the team with 20 points, converting 6-10 field goals, including four 3-pointers. Malik Lewis added 18 points, hitting 6 of 11 from the field and making 5 of 7 free throws. Leonard contributed 10 points and eight rebounds, also posting three assists. Darren McHenry recorded seven rebounds and contributed five points, adding a block and a steal to his performance.
The next game for the Blue Devils is against the Neosho County Community College Panthers at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 4 in Chanute, Kan.