Lady Ranger Head Coach Roy Thomas returns to a court he is very familiar with Saturday. Thomas and the Lady Rangers battle the Apache Ladies of Tyler Junior College 2 p.m. Saturday in Wagstaff Gymnasium.
Thomas coached the Apache Ladies from 1984-94. But that was not his first go-round with the TJC athletic program. He also played for the Apaches from 1968-70, helping his team qualify for the National Junior College Athletic Association national tournament in 1970. Thomas is a 2003 inductee of TJC’s Sports Circle of Honor.
Now he will attempt to coach KC to a season sweep of TJC. The Lady Rangers defeated the Apache Ladies 63-60 Jan. 6 in Masters Gymnasium.
KC turns around for a Wednesday home game against No. 11 Trinity Valley. KC handed TVCC its first conference loss Jan. 9 with a one-point upset up the then-No. 4 Lady Cardinals in Athens.
Feb. 17 – Blinn 73, KC 65
KC cut Blinn’s second-half lead to one point on two occasions, but the Lady Rangers never got over the hump, falling to the Lady Buccaneers 73-65 at the Physical Education Complex in Brenham.
Danyell Oliver, KC’s leading scorer of the season, picked up three fouls early and sat a majority of the game.
Oliver’s two free throws with 1:55 left capped a 13-4 KC run to pull within one point, 64-63. KC scored two points the rest of the game.
Oliver scored seven points, while Rashida Young and Jah-Leah Ellis stepped up with 15 points each.
Blinn’s Jaleesa Thomas hit four 3-pointers and scored 16 points.
Feb. 13 – Lon Morris 75, KC 73
Diamond Austin scored a go-ahead bucket with less than 15 seconds left that eventually ended KC’s six-game win streak.
KC’s Rashida Young missed a shot at the buzzer that would have tied the game, and the Lady Rangers dropped a 2-point home contest.
Young’s free throw tied the game 73-73 with 32 seconds, but Austin’s shot iced the upset for Lon Morris.
Austin finished with 12 points, while Brenda Adhiambo and Jasamine Reeves each recorded double-doubles, combining for 29 points and 15 rebounds.
Danyell Oliver hit five 3-pointers for KC, scoring a game-high 22 points. Tangeka Payne scored 14 points for KC. Young scored 10 points and grabbed seven rebounds.
KC trailed a majority of the first half but used a late surge to pull within one point, 40-39, at halftime.