MAYERS HITS DRAGON GAME-WINNER VS. INDY WITH 0.4 SECONDS LEFT

Hutchinson CC Sports Information

INDEPENDENCE – Matt Mayers' follow-up shot with less than a second to play was the game winner for the Hutchinson Community College men's basketball team, capping off a career-night for the sophomore forward.

Mayers scored a career-high 26 points, the final two coming on a follow of a Majok Kuath miss with seconds 0.4 seconds left on the clock, to lift the Blue Dragons to a 79-77 Jayhawk Conference road victory at Independence on Wednesday night at the ICC Fieldhouse.

The Blue Dragons won consecutive games for the first time this season and improve to 4-2 overall and 3-2 in the Jayhawk West. The Dragons also extended their winning streak over the Pirates to 14 games.

Hutchinson had to survive the 3-point onslaught of the Pirates, who hit 16 of 35 attempts from distance. Independence as 10 of 18 from long range in the second half along. Four different Pirates had at least three 3-pointers, led by Shammon Artis' 5 of 9 from long range.

Mayers, Jaden Okon and Kuath all has baskets in the final 5 minutes to give the Blue Dragons two-possession leads, but the Pirates' 3-point prowess kept them within striking distance. Independence tied the game at 77-all on a 26-foot fade-away trey by Mikale Stevenson with 8.9 seconds to play.

Isaiah Bujdoso worked the ball to the right baseline on Hutch's final possession and got the ball to Kuath, who made a slicing move to the hoop. Kuath missed the short shot, but Mayers came from the weak side to grab the rebound and bank in his follow shot with 0.4 seconds remaining in the game. Indy's desperation try at the buzzer came from about 60 feet and hit the rim.

Mayers reached 20 points in a game for the second time in his career, going 13 of 15 from the field. He had a personal eight-point run early in the second half to help the Blue Dragons build on a 41-33 halftime advantage.

Kuath finished with 19 points on 8 of 17 shooting with four assists. Okon was credited with his first career double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds.

The Blue Dragons shot better than 50 percent for the first time this season, shooting 52.2 percent (36 of 69), including 3 of 10 from 3-point range and a season-low 4 of 11 from the free-throw line.

The Dragons made 10 more field goals than the Pirates, but Indy had 16 3-pointers to Hutch's three.

Tim Dalger scored a game-high 17 points to lead the

Pirates. Artis had 15, while Ke'Various Taylor and Stevenson had 11 points each.

The Pirates shot 26 of 65 overall (40.9 percent). The Pirates were 9 of 10 from the free-throw line.

Hutchinson owned a 41-33 rebounding advantage.

The Blue Dragons play host to the Allen Red Devils on Saturday at the Sports Arena.