Last March, the Kansas City Kansas Community College Blue Devils were on the verge of something special. After winning their Regional Championship, the Blue Devils were on the way to the school’s second NJCAA National Tournament bid. Unfortunately, after living through 2020, we all know how that story ended.
Head Coach Brandon Burgette, a graduate of Lee’s Summit North High School, led the Blue Devils to an 18-13 record in his first season. “It was tough for me as a coach, because you know all my life, I’ve played basketball. All my life, I’ve been around basketball, and to feel the wrath from our players to have something taken away that they’ve earned and they worked towards was tough just because you don’t know what could have happened,” said Coach Burgette.
After the pandemic cut their season short, the Blue Devils left campus and did not return until the end of July. Coach Burgette said that it was a challenge to keep his team in shape because the players didn’t have access to their local gyms. He met with his team via Zoom every other Sunday to provide feedback on the skills they needed to improve. He also met with players individually to talk about their development.
Recruiting during the pandemic was difficult. Coach Burgette and his coaching staff had to recruit his next group of athletes differently. He didn’t have a chance to observe potential recruits and talk to them face-to-face. Coach Burgette found himself recruiting his next class via phone and social media.
Despite 2020’s obstacles, Coach Burgette is excited about this season. Entering year two, the Blue Devils return a group of battle-tested sophomores that understand the system and the coaching staff’s expectations, including the league’s defensive player of the year Robert Rhodes (Park Hill South) and all-league performer Deron McDaniel (Lee’s Summit). “We have a great chance to be at the top of our league, said Coach Burgette.