Tigers have season-high seven players score in double figures in 112-90 road win

The No. 18-ranked Cowley College men's basketball team used a strong finish to the first half of its game at Allen Community College on Wednesday and never relinquished its double-digit lead in a 112-90 road win.

The victory keeps the Tigers just one game behind conference-leading Coffeyville Community College heading into Saturday's home showdown with the Red Ravens at 7:30 p.m. Coffeyville is currently ranked fourth in the latest NJCAA Division I basketball poll with a record of 17-1 overall.

Cowley started slow as Allen scored the game's first six points and led 29-26 with eight minutes left in the first half.

"We put in our second group and Shemarri (Allen) and Kobe (Campbell) gave us a huge lift," Cowley head coach Tommy DeSalme said.

The Tigers would rally behind hitting nine shots from beyond the arc in the opening half to take a 61-42 lead into halftime.

The Red Devils would cut Cowley's lead to 91-78 following a basket by Amadou Traore with 6:14 remaining, but that would be as close as Allen would get as the Tigers went on to the 22-point win.

Sophomore Mike'l Henderson led seven Tiger players in double figures with 22 points. Dalen Ridgnal added 21 points, 15 rebounds and five blocked shots as he moved into 18th place on Cowley's career scoring list with 897 career points.

"When we put that first group back in Mike'l got hot and Dalen was Dalen," DeSalme said.

Shemarri Allen finished with 15 points, six rebounds and four assists, while Campbell added 10 points, four rebounds and two steals.

"It was good to see those two flying around because they provide us with elite defense on the floor," DeSalme said.

Other Tigers in double figures were Moun'tae Edmundson (11 points), Raishaun Brown (10 points), and Jacquez Yow (10 points, six boards).

Allen, 6-14 overall and 5-13 in the Jayhawk East, was led by Traore's 23 points and 14 rebounds.

Cowley will now turn its attention to one of its biggest games of the season when they host Coffeyville on Saturday.

"What an awesome opportunity we have coming up against Coffeyville," DeSalme said. "It will be the game of the night in JUCO basketball. We have got to find a way to protect our home court if we want a chance to win at least a share of the conference title."

Box score:

Cowley (112): Mike'l Henderson 5-11 9-10 22, Clarence King 2-3 0-1 4, Moun'tae Edmundson 4-12 0-0 11, Cevin Clark 1-4 0-0 2, Dalen Ridgnal 8-14 4-4 21, Kobe Campbell 4-8 0-0 10, Shemarri Allen 6-10 1-2 15, Raishaun Brown 4-9 0-2 10, Cameron Robins 0-0 0-0 0, Tarese Morse 1-1 1-2 3, Jacquez Yow 4-5 2-2 10, Josiah Harris 2-5 0-0 4, Biar Garang 0-0 0-0 0. Totals: 41-82 17-23 112.

Allen (90): Shaikim Jenks 2-9 2-2 7, Cedric Rollerson 1-3 5-6 7, Freddie Word 6-15 3-5 16, Amadou Traore 9-12 5-6 23, Ahmed Mahgoub 3-9 4-7 11, Nick Whittick 2-2 1-2 5, Cory Reynolds 1-3 0-0 3, Ed Wright II 5-9 0-0 12, Tyren Shelley 1-3 0-0 3, Trevian Sylvester 0-2 1-2 1, Brayden Thompson 0-2 1-2 1, Ata Savas Kurtulus 0-0 1-2 1. Totals: 30-69 23-34 90.

Three-pointers: Cowley 13-32 (Edmundson 3-10, Henderson 3-4, Campbell 2-5, Allen 2-3, Brown 2-3, Ridgnal 1-3, Clark 0-3, King 0-1), Allen 7-22 (Wright 2-5, Mahgoub 1-5, Jenks 1-4, Reynolds 1-3, Shelley 1-3, Word 1-1, Sylvester 0-1). Rebounds: Cowley 53 (Ridgnal 15), Allen 46 (Traore 14). Assists: Cowley 21 (Henderson, Allen 4), Allen 17 (Word, Whittick 3). Turnovers: Cowley 13, Allen 20. Total fouls: Cowley 28, Allen 17. Fouled out: Henderson. Technicals: Wright, Traore.