DRAGONS GRIND OUT VICTORY OVER BARTON

Hutchinson CC Sports Information

The answer to Wednesday's burning Jayhawk West question of what team's five-game winning streak would be extended is …

Thanks to a gritty, tough defensive effort the Hutchinson Community College men's basketball team outlasted the Barton Cougars 73-67 on Wednesday at the Sports Arena.

Hutchinson extends its winning streak to six games and improves to 11-3 overall and maintains sole possession of first place in the Jayhawk West at 10-3. Barton had its five-game win streak snapped and falls to 7-5 overall and 6-5 in league play.

The Blue Dragon defense held Barton's high-scoring offense 25 points under its season-scoring average, holding the Cougars to 36.6 percent from the field. Barton connected on 7 of 31 3-pointers, but the Dragons had advantages of 42-30 in the paint and 17-8 in second-chance points.

With leading scorer Matt Mayers held scoreless in the first half, sophomore guard Jaden Okon picked up the scoring slack with a career-high 17 points on 8 of 11 shooting to lead the Blue Dragons. He also had six rebounds and three assists.

Freshman guard Chris Robinson provided a needed spark in the first half when Barton took a 15-11 lead on a Willie Lapoole 3-pointer with 11:35 remaining. Isaiah Bujdoso and Robinson hit back-to-back 3-pointers to turn things around for Hutch. Robinson scored all 10 of his points in the first 20 minutes to pace the Dragons to a 32-30 halftime lead.

Despite the slow start, Mayers posted his eighth consecutive double-double, finishing with 12 points and 10 rebounds. Bujdoso and Josh Baker added nine points each and Bryant Selebangue had eight.

The Blue Dragons shot 45.3 percent overall (29 of 64). The Dragons were only 2 of 13 from 3-point range and 13 of 18 from the free-throw line. The Dragons had a 51-32 rebounding advantage. Majok Kuath had 10 rebounds.

Justin Harmon led the Cougars with 14 points. Jaheim Holden had 13 points and Asanti Price had 12.

Holden hit a 3-pointer to start the second half and give Barton a 33-32 lead, but the Blue Dragons immediately answered. Mayers scored inside on the next possession to take the lead back and started a 12-2 Dragon run for a 44-35 lead on an Okon bucket with 15:56 to play in the second half.

The physical game got tight in the final 5 minutes. A Harmon tip-in pulled the Cougars within two points at 58-56 with 4:40 to go and tied the game at 60-all with 3:24 to play on a DeSean Munson layup.

Okon became Hutch's go-to player after that. Okon scored on a drive to the hoop with 2:33 to play. Then with Hutch leading 62-61, Okon scored again inside for a 64-61 lead with 1:54 to play. Barton cut the lead to two, but Mayers had the answer with an inside hoop from an Okon assist for a 68-64 Dragon lead with 58 seconds left.

Hutchinson then hit six free throws – four by Baker, two by Mayers – in the final 24 second to secure the win.

The Blue Dragons had Saturday's game at Colby postponed. Hutch travels to Dodge City on Monday for a key Jayhawk West battle.