DRAGONS RALLY FOR FIFTH-CONSECUTIVE VICTORY

Hutchinson CC Sports Information

PRATT – The Hutchinson Community College men's basketball team rallied from a 15-point first-half deficit to win a season's best fifth-consecutive game on Saturday.

Khalil Arnold came off the bench to score a career-high 22 points to lead the comeback as the Blue Dragons rallied to defeat the Beavers 87-77 at the Dennis Lesh Sports Arena.

The Blue Dragons improved to 11-5 overall and 7-3 in the KJCCC. Hutchinson plays host to Seward County on Wednesday at the Sports Arena. Pratt fell to 8-7 overall and 4-5 in the KJCCC.

Hutchinson's 15-point comeback is the second-largest comeback for a win this season. The Blue Dragons trailed Cloud County by 16 points and rallied to win 77-73 on December 14. Trailing 43-38 at halftime, the Dragons completed their sixth comeback victory after trailing in the second half.

The Blue Dragons trailed 30-15 with 8:57 to play in the opening half. Arnold came off the bench to hit a long two-point corner shot to stop that Pratt run and spark what became a 23-13 run over the remainder of the first half to pull within 43-38 at halftime. Arnold had 12 points in the half.

Shooting 64.3 percent in the second half, the Blue Dragons outscored Pratt 49-34 in the second half.

Five Blue Dragon players scored in double figured led by Arnold's 24 points. Arnold was 11 of 16 shooting, going 2 of 4 from 3-point range.

Bo Aldridge finished 8 of 18 shooting for 19 points and seven rebounds.

Mikhail Abdul-Hamid tied a season high with five 3-pointers and finished with 15 points. D.J. Dudley had 13 points. Bobby Cannon scored all 12 of his points in the second half.

The Blue Dragons shot better than 50 percent for the fifth time this season at 55.0 percent (33 of 60). The Dragons were 11 of 23 from 3-point range and 10 of 16 from the free-throw line. The Dragons had just seven turnovers.

Pratt shot 53.6 percent in the first half and finished the game at 49.1 percent (27 of 55). The Beavers were 8 of 26 from 3-point range and 15 of 19 from the free-throw line. Pratt had 15 turnovers.

Jarrett Dingle scored 20 points to lead the Beavers. Hunter Vaughn had 14 points while Parker Whisenhunt and Joseph Opareke had 12 points each.

The Beavers jumped out to leads of 7-0 and 14-2 in the first 4 1/2 minutes of the game. Arnold scored with 14:09 to play in the first half to pull the Dragons within 17-7. With Pratt leading 18-11, the Beavers went on a 12-4 run to lead 30-15 after back-to-back 3-pointers from Vaughn with 8:57 to play in the half.

Hutchinson still trailed by scored of 34-20 and 38-25, Arnold hit a jumper with 3:28 left to started a 10-1 run. Arnold's field goal with 1:12 to play pulled the Dragons within 39-35. Abdul-Hamid nailed his fourth 3-pointer of the half to pull the Dragons within 41-38 with 18 seconds left. Pratt's Opareke scored with 2 seconds left to give the Beavers a 43-38 halftime lead.

Pratt scored the first points of the second half to rebuild a seven-point cushion, but the Blue Dragons finally took the lead at 48-46 after an Abdul-Hamid 3-pointer with 15:16 to play in the second half. From that point, there were three lead changes and Pratt built a 58-52 lead after Dingle hit a 3-pointer with 12:06 to go.

Cannon went on a tear with back-to-back 3-pointers and a 2-pointer as part of a 10-0 run that gave the Blue Dragons a 62-58 lead with 10:04 to play. The Blue Dragons didn't give up the lead after that point.

Dudley sank a field goal with 2:37 to play to up the Dragon lead to 80-70, but Pratt rallied with five unanswered points to pull within 80-75 after a Vaughn 3-pointer. Aldridge answered with a layup with 1:22 to play and Arnold pushed the Dragon lead back to 10 at 85-75 with 29 seconds left.

GAME NOTES – The Blue Dragons are now 154-28 all-time against Pratt. … Khalil Arnold had a career-high 11 field goals. … This was the third time this season Mikhail Abdul-Hamid had five 3-pointers in a game. … This was all-time win No. 1,934 for the Blue Dragons. … The Dragons are 2-2 when trailing at halftime. … This was only the fourth victory of the season by the Blue Dragons of 10 or more points. … This was the first time in five games the Dragons hit 10 or more 3-pointers in a game. … Hutchinson is 4-1 when shooting 50 percent this season.