SINGLETON TRIPLE-DOUBLE HELPS HUTCH PULL AWAY FROM NEO

Hutchinson CC Sports Information

Sophomore Saquan Singleton became the first Blue Dragon since Shakur Juiston to post a triple-double in a game and led the No. 7 Hutchinson Community College men's basketball team to an 85-65 victory over Northeastern Oklahoma A&M on Tuesday night.

Singleton scored 14 points with career highs of 13 rebounds and 11 assists to post Hutchinson's first triple-double since Juiston, the 2017 NJCAA National player of the year who had a triple-double against Hesston College on Nov. 28, 2016.

The Blue Dragons improve to 5-0 heading into games against Monroe College and Iowa Western on Friday and Saturday in Great Bend. NEO falls to 2-2, going 0-2 against the Jayhawk Conference. Coffeyville defeated NEO last week.

The Blue Dragons led 43-33 at halftime, but saw NEO close within 62-58 on a Rudi Williams field goal with 11:50 to play in the second half. Hutch's defense then took over, holding the Golden Norsemen scoreless for the next 5 minutes, 16 seconds, taking a 70-58 lead on a Majok Kuath jumper.

Hutchinson wound up outscoring NEO 23-7 over the final 11 minutes of the game to take command of the game.

Kuath scored a game-high 19 points on 8 of 13 shooting off the bench to power the Blue Dragons who had five players score in double figures.

Josh Baker knocked down 4 of 6 3-pointers for 17 points. Singleton and sophomore D.J. Mitchell scored 14 points each and Jaden Okon had 10 points.

Hutchinson shot 47.1 percent (32 of 68), hitting 7 of 20 3-poiners and 14 of 18 from the free-throw line. The Dragons owned a 47-31 rebounding advantage and turned the ball over 13 times.

NEO shot 25 of 64 (39.1 percent), hitting 9 of 29 from 3-point range and 6 of 9 from the free throw line. The Golden Norse had 14 turnovers.

Samkelo Cele finished with a team-high 18 points to lead NEO. Gavin Harris hit 5 of 10 3-pointers to finished with 15 points. Williams had 12 points and Alvin Cannady had 10.