HAIDARA’S FIRST CAREER DOUBLE-DOUBLE LEADS DRAGONS PAST DC

Hutchinson CC Sports Information

Sophomore Nafatoumata Haidara posted her first career double-double and helped the No. 21-ranked Hutchinson Community College women's basketball team move in to a first-place tie in the Jayhawk West on Monday night at the Sports Arena.

Haidara led three Blue Dragons in double figures and the Blue Dragons held Dodge City to 30.2 percent shooting in a 68-50 victory over the Conquistadors.

The Blue Dragons improved to 6-2 overall and are now tied with Seward County atop of the Jayhawk West standings with a 5-2 record. The Saints were idle on Monday night. Dodge City dropped its seventh game in a row and fell to 2-7 overall and 2-6 in the league.

The victory was Hutchinson's 25th-straight overall and 15th straight over Dodge City at the Sports Arena.

Haidara became the third different Blue Dragon with a double-double on Monday night with 14 points and 10 rebounds. Haidara was 6 of 12 shooting and 2 of 2 from the free-throw line, converting two three-point plays.

Sophomore Tor'e Alford had 14 points on 4 of 7 3-point shooting. Alford also accounted for four assists and four rebounds.

Sophomore Kate Ogle was the third Blue Dragon in double figures with 13 points on 5 of 7 shooting, including a 3-point goal. Ogle added seven rebounds. K.K. Adams had seven points.

The Blue Dragons shot only 34.8 percent (23 of 66), hitting 7 of 22 from 3-point range and 15 of 22 from the free-throw line. The Dragons had a season-low 13 turnovers, 10 came in the second half. Hutch was also out-rebounded 42-41.

Keimora Banks led Dodge City with 11 points and seven rebounds. Emery Maze was next with seven points.

The Conquistadors were 16 of 53 shooting overall, going 5 of 26 from 3-point range and 13 of 18 from the free-throw line. Dodge City also had a Blue Dragon-opponent high eight blocked shots.

Like last week's win at Cowley, Alford got the Blue Dragons started on Monday night with a pair of 3-pointers to start the game. After Maze nailed a trey with 6:34 left in the opening period, Hutchinson's lead was only 10-8. Hutch responded with nine unanswered points capped by Alford's third 3-pointer of the quarter for a 19-8 lead with 3:38 left in the quarter. The Dragons led 20-11 after one period.

Leading 29-16, the Blue Dragons reeled off eight unanswered points in the second to lead 37-16 after two Ishante Suttington free throws with 4:22 to play. Dodge City answered with a 9-0 run to pull within 37-25 with 1:34 left in the half. Ogle snapped a 3 minute, 40 second scoreless drought with two free throws with 43 seconds remaining. Then Cherrelle Newsom nailed a 3-pointer with 4 seconds left in the half to give Hutchinson a 42-25 halftime lead.

Leading 57-36 after three quarters, the Blue Dragons extended their lead to a game-high 28 points with a 11-3 run over the first 5:45 of the fourth quarter.

The Blue Dragons have a short turnaround with a road trip to Northwest Tech at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday in Goodland.

GAME NOTES – The Blue Dragons are now 70-28 all-time against Dodge City. … Hutchinson is 6-0 at the Sports Arena this season. ... This was the ninth career game for Tor'e Alford with four or more 3-point goals. … Alford surpassed the career 400-point mark (407 points). … The Blue Dragons are 2-2 when being out-rebounded this season.