DRAGONS DOWN SAINTS; DESALME REACHES 300 KJCCC VICTORIES

Hutchinson CC Sports Information

LIBERAL - Hutchinson Community College men's basketball head coach Tommy DeSalme earned a second milestone victory on Saturday night as his No. 7-ranked Blue Dragons defeated the Seward County Saints 81-66 at the Green House.

DeSalme became the seventh coach in Jayhawk Conference history to win 300 as a KJCCC coach. DeSalme won 239 games at Cowley, 45 at Independence and now has 16 at Hutchinson. DeSalme is seventh in coaching wins in KJCCC history and ninth in Region VI history. Earlier this season, DeSalme earned career coaching win No. 400 with a 100-96 victory on November 10 at NOC-Tonkawa.

The Blue Dragons improve to 16-1 overall and 10-1 in the KJCCC. Combined with Dodge City's loss on Saturday at Colby, Hutchinson takes over first place in the KJCCC by a game over the Conquistadors. The Dragons are off on Wednesday before opening a three-game-in-five-day homestand on Saturday against Garden City.

Angelo Stuart, the KJCCC's leading scorer, tied a career high with six 3-pointers in a game-high 23-point effort against the Saints. Stuart was 6 of 10 from distance. He added three steals and two assists.

Kobe Campbell had 15 points on 4 of 8 shooting, but added a career-high seven assists and career-high tying five steals. Cecil Lee was Hutchinson's third scorer in double figures with 12 points and five rebounds. Nate Goodlow added nine points and three assists and Jayden Garrison scored a season-high seven points.

The Blue Dragons shot 37.0 percent overall (27 of 73), dropping 10 of 28 shots from 3-point range and 17 of 22 free throws. The Blue Dragons had a season-high plus-17 rebounding margin, out-rebounding the Saints 49-23. Goodlow and Campbell and seven rebounds each. Josiah Harris added six. Hutchinson did have 20 turnovers.

Harvin Ibarguen led Seward County with 19 points on 9 of 10 shooting. He added nine rebounds. Brandon McCrary had 14 points and Taye Donald scored 11 points.

The Saints shot 46.2 percent from the field (24 of 52), going 1 of 11 from 3-point range and 17 of 25 from the free-throw line. The Dragons scored 22 points off 24 Seward County turnovers.

The first half was back-and-forth with four lead changes and six ties.

The Blue Dragons burst out to a 12-6 lead on three early Stuart 3-pointers. The Saints then scored seven in a row and took a 13-12 lead on two Releek Redd free throws with 15:02 to play in the half. The Dragons immediately answered with a 9-0 run that started with a Harris putback and ended on a Lee 3-pointer to give Hutchinson a 21-13 lead with 13:27 to go in the first half.

After the Saints clawed back, Hutchinson regained a seven-point lead at 38-31 with 3:59 to play on a Jacquez Yow free throw. The Saints rallied again to tie the game at 27-all after two McCrary free throws with 6:53 remaining.

Hutchinson outscored Seward County 14-10 over the remainder of the first half to lead 41-37 at halftime.

Seward County tied the game with a 6-2 run to start the second half, knotting the score at 43 after am Ibarguen inside bucket with 16:39 remaining in the second half. Back-to-back 3-pointers from Kaimen Lennox and Campbell sparked quick 12-4 run. Then on back-to-back possessions, Garrison hit a 3-pointer and a short 2-pointer after an offensive rebound to give the Dragons a 63-50 lead with 11:16 to go.

Seward County cut the Dragon lead to single-digits on five difference occasions. Hutchinson's final 10 points of the game came from the free-throw line, the final six by Campbell.

GAME NOTES – The Blue Dragons are now 81-31 all-time against Seward County, including 33-20 in Liberal. … This was Hutchinson's eight game with 10 or more 3-pointers. … The Dragons allowed a defensive season-low tying one 3-pointer to the Saints.