ONTJES REACHES MILESTONE WIN AS DRAGONS TOP ALLEN

Hutchinson CC Sports Information

Hutchinson Community College women's basketball head coach John Ontjes earned his 300th victory on Saturday night as the Blue Dragons ran their winning streak to 11 games with a 77-54 Jayhawk Conference victory over Allen at the Sports Arena.

Ontjes reached the 300 victory mark in just 364 games. Already the Blue Dragon women's basketball career leader in coaching victories, Ontjes becomes only the eighth Jayhawk Conference women's basketball coach to reach the 300-win plateau.

The Blue Dragons improve to 13-2 overall and 9-2 in the Jayhawk Conference to maintain their share of first place heading into a key road matchup on Wednesday at Independence. The Red Devils fall to 4-11 and 2-9 I league play.

Freshman Jada Mickens posted her third-consecutive and ninth-overall double-double of the season with 23 points and 13 rebounds. Mickens was 9 of 18 shooting from the field. She added three steals.

Sophomore Alicia Brown posted her first career double-double for Hutchinson with 16 points and a career-high-tying 12 rebounds. Brown was 5 of 7 shooting from the floor and 6 of 10 from the free-throw line.

Freshman Dejanae Roebuck just missed a double-double with 12 points and nine rebounds. She also contributed four assists. Sophomore Kayla Barber came off the bench to score 11 points with four assists.

The Blue Dragons were 27 of 62 shooting (43.5 percent), going only 2 of 9 from 3-point range and 21 of 32 from the foul line. For the 15th-consecutive game, the Blue Dragons out-rebounded an opponent, dominating Allen on the boards 51-30 with 18 offensive rebounds. The Blue Dragons had 21 assists on 27 made baskets. Hutch had 14 turnovers.

Allen was held to 22 of 62 shooting (35.5 percent), going 3 of 17 from 3-point range and 7 of 11 from the free-throw line. The Red Devils had 14 turnovers.

Jakira Wilson led Allen with 18 points on 7 of 17 shooting. Destiny Pittman had 11 points.

The Blue Dragons got off to a slow offensive start, hitting only 5 of 22 shots with five turnovers in the first 10 minutes. The Dragons still managed to lead 13-10 after one quarter. Allen jumped out to a 5-0 lead before Mickens scored at the 7:35 mark to get the Dragons on the board. Trailing for most of the opening period, Alyssia Green's steal and layup with 2:00 to go tied the game at 10. Then a Sara Cramer jumper with 1:21 to play gave the Dragons the lead for good at 12-10.

The Dragons pushed the lead to six on a Roebuck layup with 6:53 to play for a 21-15 lead. The Red Devils continued to hang around with a pair of second-quarter 3-pointers and pulled within 23-22 on an Akia Andrews steal and layup with 2:07 to go. Hutchinson responded with a 9-0 run over the next 90 seconds, taking a 31-22 lead on a Barber layup. The Dragons were 7 of 10 shooting in the second period and led 31-24 at halftime.

Hutchinson scored the first five points of the third quarter, getting a Brown putback for a 36-24 lead with 7:41 to play in the third quarter. A Kamri Summons jumper with 5:21 to go pulled Allen within 37-30, then the Blue Dragons put together another quick 9-0 run to lead 46-30 with 3:33 to go on a Mickens inside basket. The lead was a game-high 17 at 49-32 on a Brown basket with 1:51 to play, but the Red Devils scored 7 of the period's final 9 points to pull within 51-39 after three quarters.

Thoughts of an Allen comeback were put to rest early in the fourth as Kelsey Brett knocked down a 3-pointer and Roebuck and Barber scored inside to rebuild a 19-point lead at 59-39 with 8:02 remaining. The Blue Dragons pushed the lead to 20 for the first time on two Brown free throws with 2:55 left for a 73-52 lead. The Dragons outscored Allen 26-15 in the fourth quarter, hitting 7 of 12 shots and 11 of 13 from the foul line. Allen was limited to 6 of 19 shooting in the fourth period.

GAME NOTES – The Blue Dragons are now 27-3 all-time against Allen with four-straight victories. … The 26 points scored in the fourth quarter by Hutch tied a season high. … Kelsey Brett has hit a 3-pointer in three consecutive games.