KCK women, Johnson County men reach national junior college basketball tournaments

Two Kansas City-area junior college basketball teams are headed to national tournaments after winning region championships Tuesday.

The No. 7-ranked Kansas City Kansas women beat No. 6 Highland 84-71 and the third-ranked Johnson County men toppled No. 1 Highland 85-76 in NJCAA Division II Region VI championship games Tuesday at Hartman Arena.

The 16-team men’s and women’s national tournaments run March 19-23, the men in Danville, Ill. and the women in Harrison, Ark. Pairings will be announced next week.

The Johnson County men (28-4) are headed to nationals for the sixth time, having won championships in 2001 and 2009. They are coached by Mike Jeffers, in his 28th season with the Cavaliers.

The KCK women (29-4) are headed to nationals for the third time, and second under coach Joe McKinstry, who won the 2016 national title in his first year coaching the Blue Devils. He picked up victory No. 101 Tuesday after Saturday’s 79-76 overtime victory over rival Johnson County in which Niji Collier hit the game-winner with 1.8 seconds left.

Tuesday’s win was more convincing. The Blue Devils led 35-26 at halftime and by as many as 20 points in the second half.

“Our girls did a fantastic job of making things difficult for Highland all night long,” McKinstry said. “I can’t remember very many times in the half court where Highland got an easy opportunity at the basket.”