Rangers blow out J'ville; KC ladies sputter in second half
JUNIOR COLLEGE BASKETBALL
By MITCH LUCAS sports@kilgorenewsherald.com

Revenge was sweet for the Kilgore College men's basketball team Wednesday night.

Back on Jan. 12, the Runnin' Rangers were trying to get back in the middle of the Region XIV Conference playoff race when they were surprised in Jacksonville, dropping a 46-45 decision to JC on a last-second tip-in.

Coach Scott Schumacher's Rangers would have none of that last night at Master's Gym, blowing the rematch with JC open and securing a convincing 75-49 win.

The KC Lady Rangers lost, however, 68-37.

Both teams will host Tyler Junior College on Saturday. The ladies' game will tip off at 2 p.m., the men to follow.

• KC 75, JC 49 (men): Kilgore College went on an 18-4 run to start the second half, ann impressive feat by the freshmen dominated Rangers, blowing by the Jaguars and just about putting the game out of reach.

KC is now 14-12 overall, 6- 12 in Region XIV Conference play, as Tyler visits Saturday.

Against Jacksonville, KC got 19 points and 12 rebounds from Danville, Va., freshman Ridge McKeither. Detroit, Mich., freshman Omar Thomas scored 15, and Brandon Roberson, a sophomore from Rosharon, scored 14. The Rangers shot 57 percent from the floor on the night, hitting 21 of 37 shots.

Jacksonville was led by Mike Pouncy with 17 points, and by Darryl Ashford, who had 11.

• JC 68, KC 37 (ladies): The story here wasn't offense - it was the lack of it.

KC, which trailed by just six points (30-24) at halftime, didn't score in the second half until 11 minutes had passed off the clock. And the Lady Rangers (10-13 overall, 4-11 in conference play) would only get 13 points in that second half, in which KC shot just 3- of-27 from the floor.

The Lady Rangers are currently in seventh place in the conference standings, needing to be in the top six to make the conference's tournament, which will be played here at Masters the weekend of March 7-10.

Nakazi Glover led KC with eight points. Jacksonville was led by Sophia Piggie, who had 22, and by Shene Gaskin with 15.