As Kansas City Kansas Community College passes the century mark, the question was asked “who have been the greatest basketball players in the first 100 years of KCKCC?”
It is not difficult question if going back just 50 years but because records and statistics are spotty or non-existent for the first half of KCKCC’s history, those early years cannot be documented. With that said, the search for the “all-time greatest” in Blue Devil men’s basketball starts
with the formation of the Jayhawk Conference in 1970.
The list includes forwards Bryan Scott, the KCKCC all-time scoring leader and Greg Wells, a multi-talented scorer; power forward Dennis Tinnon and guards James Davis, Michael Hynes and 3-point record holder Maurice Lamar. (Six are included on this list because the tremendous accomplishments of all three guards.)
MICHAEL HYNES (1985-86) – Even without the benefit of 3-point shots (the NCAA did not universally implement the 3-point line until 1986), Hynes holds the all-time records for scoring average (27.0), points in a season (864) and has the two highest scoring games in history – 53 points (20 of 34 from the field) at Independence and 49 against MCC-Penn Valley.
JAMES DAVIS (1985-87) – The ultimate point guard, Davis is second all-time in assists with 412 (7.2 average) and his 189 career steals (3.3) most likely will never be matched. One of only two Blue Devils with two “triple doubles,” he is the only KCKCC player with a “quadruple double” – 19 points, 12 steals, 11 rebounds and 10 assists in 1985 loss to Dodge City.
MAURICE LAMAR (1988-89) – A legendary 3-point shooter, Lamar led the nation in three-point shots in 1989, making 161 of 393 to earn recognition in Sports Illustrated. Fourth all-time in season field goals made with a 25.4-point average, he also holds the record for 3-pointers in a game with 11 (twice) and his 161 threes are third most ever despite playing just one year. He also holds the record for steals in a single season at 106 (3.3).
BRYAN SCOTT (1992-94) – Scott is KCKCC’s all-time career scoring leader with 1,390 points (22.4) and second in scoring in a single season with 806 points (26.0), despite the fact he stood just 6’1 and did most of his scoring from inside the paint. A career .790 shooter from the foul line, the KCKCC Hall of Famer holds the record for free throws in a game (20), season (278) and career (466). No one else even comes close.
GREG WELLS (2002-2004) – The only Blue Devil to ever lead the Jayhawk Conference in scoring, Wells averaged 22.2 points in 2004. Equally impressive, he led the Blue Devils in rebounding (8.1) and field goal shooting (.571) while playing power forward at 6’2. A KCKCC Hall of Famer and All-Region, Wells continued his career at Rockhurst and then played seven years professionally with the touring Harlem Rockets where he was dubbed “The Finisher” for his dunking ability.
DENNIS TINNON (2009-11) – For some unknown reason, the Jayhawk Conference nominated only three players for All-American in 2011, and Tinnon was not one of them. He led the nation in rebounding (13.4) and finished fifth in scoring (13.4) while leading Jon Oler’s team to all-time best records of 25-4 and 14-4 in the Jayhawk Conference. A KCKCC Hall of Famer, Tinnon holds the records for rebounds in a season (13.4) and career (12). and is fifth in career scoring (19). He finished his basketball career at NCAA DI Marshall University.
HONORABLE MENTION (with scoring averages if available) -Arthur Buie, 1973-76 (18.9 and 23.3); Dan Schmidt, 1982-84 (25.8 and 18.2); Louis Jones, 1985-87 (15.5 and 21.0); Craig Hall, 1958-60 (24.2 and 26.5); Marvin Morris, 1980-82 (18.3 and 21.5); two-time All-Jayhawk Ron Russell, 1969-71; Mike Fuller, 1971-74; John Widener, 1977-79 and Dominique Washington, 2012-13, All-American recognition.
1. KCKCC ended Independence’s record eight-year, 56-game home winning streak 102-97 Jan. 30, 1989. Maurice Lamar’s 35 points, 29 in the second half, helped spur the Blue Devils to victory.
2. (tie) After avenging two regular season losses to Johnson County with a 74-67 Region VI semifinal win, Coach Kelley Newton’s Blue Devils defeated Brown Mackie 77-66 March 3, 2016, to earn KCKCC’s first ever national tournament berth.
2. (tie) After winning KCKCC’s first ever Jayhawk Conference championship in Coach Brandon Burgette’s first season in 2019-20, the Blue Devils defeated JCCC 75-68 in the Region VI championship game March 6, 2020. However, the Blue Devils were unable to complete in the national tournament after it was canceled because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
3. In a game called the greatest in the history of the annual Jayhawk Shootout, the Blue Devils fell to Garden City 122-113 in overtime Dec. 2, 1994, despite 42 points and 11 3-pointers by Maurice Lamar. KCKCC converted a record 21-of-47 from 3-point range.
