KALAHI DOUBLE-DOUBLE LIFTS DRAGONS PAST BUSTERS

Hutchinson CC Sports Information

Mele Kailahi posted her fifth double-double of the season to power the Hutchinson Community College women's basketball team to a 60-48 Jayhawk Conference victory over the Garden City Broncbusters on Saturday night at the Sports Arena.

The Blue Dragons improved to 14-4 overall and 8-4 in the KJCCC. Hutchinson's win combined with Butler's loss to Independence on Saturday moved the Blue Dragons into second place in the Jayhawk Conference. The Blue Dragons return to the court Monday night to take on first-place Independence at 5:30 p.m. at the Sports Arena.

Kailahi led the Blue Dragons to their eighth-straight victory over Garden City after scoring 20 points and pulling down 12 rebounds for her 11th career double-double. She scored 14 points, including two 3-pointers, in the first half as Hutchinson opened a 31-22 lead at halftime.

Two other Blue Dragons scored in double figures. Freshman Mya Williams scored 14 points. Sophomore Tor'e Alford had 12 points and a career-high-tying nine rebounds. Sophomore Kalyn Ervin and freshman Natalie Payne had six points each.

Hutchinson shot 45.8 percent from the floor (22 of 48). The Blue Dragons were 5 of 15 from 3-point range and 11 of 19 from the free-throw line.

The Blue Dragon defense held Garden City 10 point under its scoring average and held an opponent to less than 50 points for the second time in three games. Garden City was held to only 32.1 percent shooting from the field (20 of 63), going just 1 of 8 from 3-point range and 7 of 10 from the free-throw line. Garden City out-rebounded Hutchison 37-35.

Kealani Neves had 13 points and Dayhawna Carter had 10 for the Broncbusters.

Early 3-pointers by Kailahi and Ervin gave the Blue Dragons an 8-2 lead. The Blue Dragons then went 6 minutes, 14 seconds without a field goal as Garden City went on a 10-2 run to take a 12-11 lead on a Donetria McGee layup with 2:27 to play in the opening quarter. The lead changed hands three more times in the period. Kailahi's inside hoop with 36 seconds to play gave the Blue Dragons a 15-14 lead after one quarter.

The game was tied at 18 in the second quarter. Alford and Payne scored on consecutive possessions and sparked a 13-4 run over the remainder of the second quarter. Garden City went scoreless for the final 2:20 of the period. Hutch ended the half with six unanswered points to lead 31-22 at halftime.

Ervin hit a 3-pointer at the 8:41 mark of the third quarter to give the Blue Dragons a 36-24 lead. Garden City answered with a 10-3 run over the next 5:30. Two Keyhana Turner free throws pulled the Busters with 39-34 with 3:11 to play. Hutchinson scored 5 of the period's final 7 points to take a 44-36 lead after three quarters.

Hutch opened the fourth quarter with a Williams jumper, a Payne inside bucket and two Alford free throws to build a 50-36 lead with 5:49 remaining. The Blue Dragons built leads as large at 16 points twice on baskets from Payne and Williams.

GAME NOTES – The Blue Dragons are now 10-0 at the Sports Arena this season. … The Blue Dragons are now 4-0 in games following a loss. … Hutchinson is 75-19 all-time against Garden City, including 41-5 at the Sports Arena. … Garden City's one 3-pointer in the game is an opponent season-low for the Dragons this season. … Tor'e Alford moved past Abby Ogle into eighth place on the career 3-point list with 247. Alford moved past Brittany Dietz into 22nd place on the career scoring list with 784 points. … With her two seasons at McLennan and her season at Hutchinson, Mele Kailahi surpassed the 800 career-point mark with 818 points.