DRAGONS TURN TO DEFENSE TO TOP NEO

Hutchinson CC Sports Information
Saturday, November 3, 2018

It took a while for the Hutchinson Community College men's basketball team to get its offense going on Saturday against NEO. So the Blue Dragons turned to defense to get win No. 2 of the new season.

Hutchinson held the Golden Norse to 29.2 percent shooting and had to rally from 12 points down in the first half as the No. 9 Blue Dragons rallied to defeat NEO 68-54 on Saturday at the Sports Arena.

Hutch improves to 2-0 and will travel to NOC-Enid at 7 p.m. on Tuesday. NEO is 1-1.

The Golden Norse scored the first seven points of the game and build a 19-7 lead with 10:32 to play in the first half. The Dragons started 3 for 17 shooting for the game.

From that point, the Blue Dragons were stellar defensively, holding the Norse to 12 points for the remainder the half and to 28 points in the second half. Hutchinson held NEO to 29.2 percent shooting (19 of 65) and forced 15 turnovers.

Sophomore Rheaquone Taylor had a career-high 17 points and eight rebounds to lead the Blue Dragons. Taylor hit 7 of 11 shots from the field.

Sophomore Chris Giles hit a pair of 3-pointers and went 7 of 8 from the free-throw line to finish with 15 points.

Freshman Boubacar Kamissoko had a big second half with 9 of his 13 points in the final 20 minutes. Kamissoko became the first Blue Dragon with a double-double after pulling down 12 rebounds. He added five assists.

Sophomore James Rojas had 12 points and seven rebounds.

Hutchinson finished shooting 39.7 percent (25 of 63), going 3 of 10 from the free-throw line and 15 of 27 from the free-throw line. The Blue Dragons out-rebounded NEO 52-45.

Reaudale Williams led the Golden Norse with 14 points. Dylan Van Eych and Tavel Moody had 13 points each.