DESALME ERA BEGINS WITH VICTORY OVER FORT SCOTT

Nate Goodlow had a memorable Blue Dragon debut with 19 points, 8 assists, 7 steals and 5 rebounds in Hutchinson's 122-95 victory over Fort Scott on Wednesday at the Sports Arena. (Cassidy Smith/Blue Dragon Sports Information)

November 3, 2021

Hutchinson CC Sports Information

Six players scored in double figures and the Blue Dragons hit a single-game record with 14 3-pointers as the Tommy DeSalme era opened with a fast-paced victory on Wednesday night at the Sports Arena.

Hutchinson hit 14 3-pointers and forced 34 turnovers as the Blue Dragons opened the 2021-22 season with a 122-95 victory over the Fort Scott Greyhounds. Hutchinson has won 14 consecutive season openers and earned their 12th consecutive victory over the Greyhounds.

Led by freshman Aaron Franklin's 5-of-8 performance from distance, the Blue Dragons set a single-game record 14 3-pointers on 36 attempts on Wednesday night. The 14 3-pointers surpassed the old record of 13 set originally in 2013 against Central Nebraska and matched in 2017 against the Tabor College JV.

The 122 points scored tied for the 14th-highest single scoring game in the 90-year history of the Blue Dragons, matching a 1970 game played against Hudson Valley. This was the first time since Nov. 7, 2017 (125 vs. the Tabor JV) that the Blue Dragons surpassed the 120-point mark in a game.

Sophomore guard Angelo Stuart scored a team-high 24 points to lead the Blue Dragons. Stuart hit 9 of 15 shot attempts, hitting three 3-pointers.

Sophomore Nate Goodlow pushed triple-double territory with 19 points, eight assists, seven steals and five rebounds. Goodlow's seven steals tied Adonis Gantt (Nov. 14, 2009 vs. Eastern Oklahoma State, for the second-most steals in a single game. Goodlow helped the Blue Dragons rack up 19 steals as a team, which tied for the third-most steals in team history. Goodlow was 6 of 12 from the field with three 3-point goals.

Kaimen Lennox had 16 points, followed by Franklin with 15 points, Tarese Morse had 14 points and Jacquez Yow finished with 12 points.

Franklin's five 3-pointers tied for the seventh most 3-pointers in individual single-game history, matching 28 other players to have five treys in a game.

The Blue Dragons shot 53.7 percent from the field (44 of 83) and 20 of 25 from the free-throw line. The Blue Dragons out-rebounded Fort Scott 47-38. Hutchinson had 31 total turnovers. The Dragons committed 21 turnovers in the first half, but trimmed that to 10 in the second half.

The Dragons had 31 assists on 44 makes, which tied for the second-most assists in a game. That matched the 31 assist effort against the Friends University JV in 2010.

Fort Scott's Peter Simon scored a game-high 26 points to lead six Greyhounds in double figures. Donnovynn Lewis had 16 points. The Greyhounds shot 46.7 percent (35 of 75) overall, hitting 9 of 29 from distance and 16 of 31 from the free-throw now. Fort Scott had 34 turnovers in the game.

Trailing 14-13 with 12 minutes to play in the first half, the Blue Dragons hit stride and went on a 22-4 run over a stretch of 3 minutes, 47 seconds. Back-to-back 3-pointers from Stuart and Goodlow helped the Blue Dragons build a 35-18 lead with 8:13 remaining in the first half.

Still leading 53-38 after a Morse dunk with 2:59 left in the first half, Hutchinson's lead dwindled to five after a 10-0 Greyhound run. A Sam Zinn 3-pointer helped Fort Scott cut the Dragon lead to 53-48 with 1:21 to go in the half.

The Dragons got a Cecil Lee dunk and Goodlow 3-pointer to lead 58-51 at halftime. The Dragons shot 51.2 percent in the opening half.

Hutchinson immediately opened the second half on an 11-0 run and led 69-51 after a Stuart 3-pointer with 17:44 to play. Fort Scott rallied with a 15-6 run over the next 2:44 and trimmed the Dragon advantage back to single digits with 15 minutes to go at 75-66.

The Blue Dragons reclaimed complete control of the game with a 13-2 run and Hutch hit a 20-point lead for the first time when a Franklin 3-pointer capped that surge for a 90-70 lead with 11:29 remaining in the game.

Hutchinson outscored Fort Scott 64-44 in the second half, shooting 56.1 percent from the floor.

GAME NOTES – Blue Dragon head coach Tommy DeSalme, the 15th head coach in Blue Dragon men's basketball history, made all Blue Dragon coaches 15 of 15 in their Hutchinson debuts. … Hutchinson is now 71-19 in season openers and 75-15 in home openers in program history. … The Blue Dragons are 35-13 all-time against Fort Scott.