02/23/12

Story by Tyler Cundith

W. Basketball – Lady Cavaliers keep streak alive

OVERLAND PARK, KS – The No. 1 ranked Johnson County Community College women’s basketball team improved to 26-1 and extended its school record win streak to 19 straight games with a hard-fought 46-37 victory over No. 15 D-I Independence, Wednesday night at JCCC.  The victory was the 200th of head coach Ben Conrad’s career, and was the 15th conference victory this season, tying a school record for conference wins in a season.

Neither team got off to a hot start with each shooting around 20 percent through the first 10 minutes of the game.  Johnson County managed to pull away late in the half, and took a six-point lead into the locker room, 24-18.

Independence quickly erased JCCC’s advantage, opening the half with a 6-0 run to pull even at 24, but that would be the closest the Lady Pirates would get. However, Johnson County only hold a slim lead the rest of the way until sophomore Polly Harrington hit a shot with 2:46 to give JCCC a six point lead, followed by sophomore Tanchelle Hollingsworth’s jumper 28 seconds later for an eight-point advantage.

Independence got in back to a two possession game with two Courtney Waldner free throws with 1:49 left, but sophomore Amy Briggs sealed the win at the 1:20 mark with her fourth trey of the game, giving her a game-high 14 points.

Harrington finished with 10 points and had a game-high five rebounds. Sophomore Ameshia Kearney added nine points, three rebounds and two assists, and sophomore Brianna Kulas was credited eight points and four rebounds.

The Lady Cavaliers have three conference games remaining and are vying for their first championships since the 1989-90 campaign. Johnson County will host Labette Saturday, Feb. 25, and a victory would assure at least a share of the title. They close out the conference season with road games at Cowley, Feb. 29, and at Allen, March 3.

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