CLOUD COUNTY UPSETS BLUE DRAGONS FOR 2ND-STRAIGHT YEAR

Hutchinson CC Sports Information

CONCORDIA – For the second-straight season, the Hutchinson Community College men's basketball team was shocked in the Thunderdome.

The No. 8-ranked Blue Dragons faltered down the stretch and dropped a 72-64 decision to the Cloud County Thunderbirds on Wednesday to close out the first semester.

The Blue Dragons go into the Christmas break with a 12-2 record and a 3-2 record in the Jayhawk West. The Blue Dragons are currently one-half game out of first place in the Jayhawk West. Cloud County improves to 9-5 overall and 3-2 in the Jayhawk East.

Hutchinson is now off until January 5 when the Dragons travel to Allen and won't be home again until January 12 when Cowley College comes to the Sports Arena.

One year ago, the Blue Dragons dropped an overtime decision to Cloud County at the Thunderdome. The Thunderbirds took care of business in the final minute to insure they wouldn't need overtime to topple the Dragons again.

James Rojas tied the game at 64 with 51 seconds left. Cloud County countered with a Nysir Scott layup 9 seconds later. From that point, Cloud County scored the game's final eight points to clinch the victory.

The Blue Dragons had no answers for Thunderbird forward Edoardo Del Cadia, who had a huge double-double of 20 points and 17 rebounds, the most by a Blue Dragon opponent this season.

Del Cadia's work on the boards helped Cloud County to a 54-44 rebounding advantage, the largest negative rebounding margin for the Blue Dragons this season. Cloud's Iyen Enaruna had 11 rebounds.

The Blue Dragons shot a season-low 29.5 percent (18 of 61) for the game, including 4 of 14 from 3-point range and 24 of 35 from the free-throw line.

Rojas finished with 10 points on 5 of 16 shooting and five rebounds. D.J. Mitchell had 14 points on 4 of 12 shooting and Saquan Singleton had 12 points.

Rheaquone Taylor garnered a career-best 14 rebounds to go with six points and three assists.

Cloud County shot 33.3 percent (22 of 66) for the game, going 5 of 25 from 3-point range and 23 of 27 from the free-throw line.

Alvin Thompson was held to 6 of 15 shooting, but still managed to score 23 points on 10 of 11 from the free-throw line. Thompson hit a buzzer-beating 3-pointer to end the first half and give Cloud County a 34-31 halftime lead. Scott finished with 12 points.

The game featured 13 lead changes and 18 ties.