Kansas CIty, KS– Neosho County Community College kicked off the KCK Classic with a gutsy one-point win, knocking off Kankakee 73–72 in a high-intensity battle Friday afternoon in Kansas City.
Kankakee struck first, hitting four threes in the opening quarter to take a 15–11 lead. But the Panthers answered with a huge second quarter, dropping 24 points behind defensive pressure, rebounding, and wave-after-wave contributions off the bench. Neosho carried a 35–33 lead into halftime and never trailed again.
Chloe Parker led the scoring with 14 points, attacking the lane and providing steady offense. The Panthers’ depth shined again as Bauke Graulus and Dagmara Kacprazak added 9 points apiece, while Azura Clark knocked in 6 and Laynie Winfrey, Jaida Harris, Jessica Houston, and Desiree Williams each contributed timely buckets.
On the glass, Neosho showed real grit:
- Jaida Harris – 6 rebounds
- Laynie Winfrey– 6 rebounds
- Ta’Neah Jones – 9 rebounds
The Panthers piled up 54 total rebounds, controlling long misses and finishing plays late.
Defensively, Neosho created havoc all afternoon, turning Kankakee over and converting mistakes into offense.
- Bauke Graulus – 4 steals
- Janae Davis – 4 steals
Those plays fueled Neosho’s 18 points off turnovers, a key difference-maker in a tight game.
Kankakee was led by Alana Ross’ 20 points, Adriana Barber’s 19, and a monster 18-rebound outing from Ava Simpson. The Cavaliers hit eight threes and went to the line 42 times, keeping the game tight all the way into the final minute.
But Neosho’s depth, toughness, and relentless defensive pressure made the difference. The Panthers pushed their lead to as many as 17 points in the fourth before holding strong through Kankakee’s late surge to seal the 73–72 victory.
The Panthers are back in action Saturday at noon, taking on Metropolitan Community College in the final game of the KCK Classic.
