OVERLAND PARK, Kan. – Johnson County head women's basketball coach Ben Conrad reached another milestone in his 14-year career with the program on Monday night notching his 400th career victory at JCCC. Even more impressive it he only need 457 games to get it done. Conrad's .875 winning percentage ranks among the top in NJCAA women's basketball. He is averaging nearly 29 wins a season and he is the only NJCAA women's coach to produce six straight 30-win seasons.
"It really means I'm starting to get old," Conrad said. "I have had some really good players, assistant coaches, trainers, secretaries and administrators in a very fortunate career. The sustained success over time is a great testament to our players buying into the process, the daily grind, the work that must be done."
Conrad is becomes just the fifth women's coach in KJCCC history to reach 400 wins. He joins Brett Erkenbrack (Cloud County), Jerry McCarty (Cloud County/Barton), Jim Littell (Seward County) and Craig Brookover (Coffeyville).
But No. 400 did not come easy. The Lady Cavaliers were held to their second lowest output of the season as the downed Allen Community College 59-43 in Iola. JCCC shot just 32 percent, but shot 10 more free throws and outrebounded the Red Devils 47-to-39.
While JCCC as a team off shooting, freshman guard Nariyah Simmons was not. She led the Lady Cavaliers with 13 points, hitting 6-of-9 shots including a 3-pointer. This is the sixth consecutive game she has finished in double figures and the 11th time this season. She also had five rebounds and two assists.
Second-year freshman guard Kierra Prim tallied her 15th double-double of the season, finishing with 11 points and 12 rebounds. Her 15 double-doubles tie for fourth on JCCC's season chart.
Other key efforts were turned in by sophomore guard Jaylen Townsend (9 points, 4 rebounds), freshman guard Mackenzie Hart (6 points, 7 assists, 3 rebounds), sophomore guard Gabby Fuller (6 points, 5 rebounds) and sophomore guard Shonyah Hawkins (6 points, 3 rebounds, 2 steals).
Clara Roomero led Allen with 16 points, followed by Adjaratou Mbaye with 10 points and nine boards.
Johnson County (27-1/11-1) will face this season Allen (10-14/6-7) squad at home on Thursday at 5:30 p.m., and with a victory, the Lady Cavaliers will clinch the 2021-22 Kansas Jayhawk D-II Conference title.
The game can be heard on 1660 The Bet on the Audacy App.