OVERLAND PARK, Kan. – The No. 20-ranked Johnson County men's basketball team (24-6/7-3) built a 15-point halftime lead and then hung on for a 98-91 victory over conference champion Kansas City Kansas (16-13/8-2) in head coach Mike Jeffers final regular season game. Jeffers announced prior to the season he would retire at the conclusion of the 2019-20 campaign after 29 seasons as the Cavaliers head coach.  He enters his final playoff run needing just two more wins to reach 500 for his career at the college. 

The Cavaliers never trailed in avenging an 82-65 loss to KCKCC two weeks ago. Johnson County shot 61 percent in the first half and led 45-30 at halftime. The Blue Devils managed to cut their deficit to under double digits several times, but JCCC continued its hot shooting in the second half, hitting 57 percent of their attempts. 

Sophomore 6-10 center Lukas Milner registered his best scoring effort of his career, pouring in 33 points, along with 10 rebounds. He was 14-of-21 from the field, with two 3-pointers and three free throws.  Milner scored 23 of his career-high 33 in the second half.

Sophomore guard JaQuaylon Mays, the team's leading scorer, followed with 21 points, seven rebounds, nine assists and five steals. He was 5-of-8 shooting and a perfect 10-of-10 at the line. 

Also finishing in double digits were freshman guards Braijion Barnes and Dale Talley III. Barnes tallied 14 points and five assists and Talley III finished with 11 points. 

Sophomore guard Macaleb Hughes nearly posted a double-double, contributed nine points and nine rebounds. 

Deron McDaniel led the Blue Devils with 22 points. He was one of six KCKCC players to finish in double figures.

The victory assured the Cavaliers the No. 2 seed and a first round bye in the Region VI Tournament. Johnson County will host the winner of No. 3 seed Highland and No. 6 seed Hesston on Tuesday, March 3 at 7 p.m. The Region VI championship game will be held at the Hutchinson Sports Arena in Hutchinson, Kan., on March 6 at 7:30 p.m.