DRAGONS STYMIE BUSTERS IN REGION VI QUARTERS

Hutchinson CC Sports Information

PARK CITY – For the second-straight Region VI Tournament game, the Hutchinson Community College women's basketball team was very stingy to their opponents.

Powered by another impressive defensive performance in the postseason, the No. 19-ranked Blue Dragons advanced to their 10th-consecutive Region VI Tournament semifinal after a 55-37 quarterfinal victory over Garden City on Monday at Hartman Arena.

Improving to 27-5 with Monday's victory, the Blue Dragons advance to Tuesday's 1 p.m. semifinal against either Independence or Cloud County.

This past Thursday, Hutchinson limited opening-round opponent Pratt to 22 points and 10.9 percent shooting. On Monday against one of the hottest teams in the Jayhawk Conference, the Blue Dragons subdued Garden City, which scored a season-low 38 points and shot only 26.3 percent from the field.

The Blue Dragons contained Garden City's leading scorer, Jada Washington, to 14 points on 5 of 15 shooting with five turnovers.

Through two Region VI games, the Blue Dragons have surrendered a total of 59 points and only 20 makes in 103 shot attempts.

Garden City was limited to only 24 points after the first quarter. The Busters shot 15 of 57 for the game (26.3 percent), going 1 of 18 from 3-point range and 6 of 11 from the foul line. The Busters also had 13 turnovers.

The first half featured five lead changes and two ties and the defensive-type game was tied at 21 with 3:14 to play in the second quarter. Alicia Brown scored with 2:55 left and the game went down to the final possession of the half with that score.

With Garden City working for the final shot, Blue Dragon freshman Vivian Chigbu deflected a pass, chased it down near half court and hit a layup as the buzzer sounded to give the Dragons a 25-21 lead at halftime.

Between the second and third quarters, the Blue Dragons put together a 9-0 run to build a 30-12 lead with 6:12 to play in the third quarter after a Tia Bradshaw free throw.

The Blue Dragons held Garden City scoreless for 7 minutes, 29 seconds as the Blue Dragons took command of the game with that 9-0 run

Garden City pulled back within 30-25 with 5:29 to play. The Blue Dragons limited the Busters to only 12 points over the final15:29 of the game. Garden City had another 5 minute, 2 second scoreless drought in the fourth quarter.

Freshman Dejanae Roebuck posted her 13th double-double of the season with 11 points and 10 rebounds.

Sophomore Kayla Barber and Brown added 10 points each. Jada Mickens and Tia Bradshaw had seven each. Chigbu had six points, no bigger than the layup at the halftime buzzer.

The Blue Dragons shot 37.5 percent (18 of 48), hitting only 2 of 16 pointers – made by forwards Barber and Mickens. The Dragons were 17 of 22 from the free-throw line. Hutchinson owned a 43-39 rebounding advantage.

Shakendra Tilley had 11 points for the Busters.

GAME NOTES – The Blue Dragons are now 60-33 all-time in the Region VI Tournament, 15-17 in quarterfinal games. … The Dragons are 2-1 all-time against Garden City in Region VI play and 68-19 overall. … Dejanae Roebuck's 13th double-double ties Jada Mickens for the team lead. This was Roebuck's second-straight double-double in the Region VI Tournament.