WILLIAMS CARRIES DRAGONS TO TIGHT WIN AT DODGE CITY

Hutchinson CC Sports Information

DODGE CITY – With her team leading by a scant two point after three quarters, Hutchinson Community College freshman guard Mya Williams went off against Dodge City in the final quarter their KJCCC matchup Wednesday night.

Williams scored 17 of her game-high 29 points in the final 10 minutes to carry the Blue Dragons to a 76-73 victory over the Conquistadors at the DC3 Student Activities Center.

The Blue Dragons won their season-long eighth-consecutive game and improved to 21-4 overall and 15-4 in the Jayhawk Conference. Hutchinson plays host to Colby on Saturday for Pink-Out Night at the Sports Arena. Dodge City dropped to 14-10 and 9-9 in league play.

The victory moved head coach John Ontjes into sole possession of third place on both the Jayhawk Conference and Region VI career coaching wins' list, breaking a tie with Craig Brookover with 415 wins.

The Blue Dragons led by as many as 13 points late in the first half and carried a 36-26 lead into halftime. Dodge City hit four 3-pointers in the third quarter and outscored Hutchinson 19-11 and cut the Dragon lead to 47-45 after three quarters.

Williams started her fourth-quarter onslaught with a layup and 3-pointer in the first 28 minutes of the quarter. Chanteese Craig added a three-point play with 7:55 left to complete an 8-0 run and give the Dragons a 55-45 lead.

Williams in the fourth quarter hit 4 of 5 total shots, including 3 of 3 from the 3-point line and was 6 of 6 from the free-throw line. The Blue Dragon guard was 9 of 14 shooting overall, hitting 4 of 6 from 3-point range and 7 of 8 from the foul stripe.

Sophomore Mele Kailahi had 14 points, nine rebounds and tied a career high with five steals for the Blue Dragons. Tor'e Alford was the other Blue Dragon to score in double figures with 11 points and five assists. Ervin finished with nine points and tied a career high with five assists.

Alford jumped two spots on the Blue Dragon career scoring list into 10th place with 897 points.

The Blue Dragons shot 41.1 percent overall (23 of 56), hitting 8 of 19 3-pointers and 22 of 33 from the foul line. The Dragons out-rebounded Dodge City 35-30 and had only 11 turnovers.

Dodge City posted opponent season highs in field goal percentage (45.6 percent – 26 of 57) and 10 3-point goals. The Conquistadors were 10 of 21 from 3-point range and 11 of 14 from the foul line. The Conqs had 17 turnovers.

Five players scored in double figures for Dodge City led by Jada Burton's 16 points, eight rebounds and eight assists. Bree Stephens had 14 points, Teona Stojanova had 12 points and Krystina Hagood and Destinee Paulk had 10 points each.

Early 3-pointers by Williams and Natalie Payne and a three-point play by Alford boosted the Blue Dragons to a 16-10 lead in the first quarter. A Williams layup gave the Dragons a 19-14 lead, but Stephens answered with Dodge City's first field goal in 4 minutes, 5 seconds to cut the Dragon lead to 19-16 with 26 seconds left in the first quarter.

The Blue Dragons started the second quarter with a 7-2 run over the first 3:19 and opened a 26-18 lead after an Ervin 3-pointer and two Ervin free throws. Leading 28-23, Kailahi and Ervin drilled 3-pointer and Alford just a 15-footer for an 8-0 run to build a 36-23 lead with 42 seconds to play. Dodge City's Hagood was fouled on a 3-pointer as the halftime buzzer sounded and hit all three free throws to cut the Blue Dragon lead to 36-26.

With the Dragons leading 39-29, Dodge City put together an 11-2 run and cut the Dragon lead to 41-40 after a Paulk 3-pointer with 4:49 to play in the third quarter. A Hagood trey tied the game at 45 with 1:24 left, but Hutchinson answered with a Craig inside hoop for a 47-44 lead after three quarters.

Hutchinson completed a 10-0 run with the first eight points of the fourth quarter to build a 55-45 lead with 7:55 to go in the fourth quarter. Tied at 65, Williams hit a 3-pointer with 1:40 left, but Dodge City tied the game again on a Paulk three-point play, knotting the score at 68-all with 1:18 left. The Blue Dragons didn't score another field goal in the final 1:40, but hit 7 of 8 from the line – including three free throws by Alford after being fouled on a 3-point attempt for a 71-68 lead with 49 seconds to go.

GAME NOTES – The Blue Dragons are 73-28 all-time against Dodge City. … Mele Kailahi broke the 900 career point mark with 908 points. … The Blue Dragons are 20-0 when leading after three quarters. … Hutchinson allowed 70 or more points for the fifth time this season and 40-plus percent shooting for the fifth time. Chanteese Craig tied a season high with six rebounds. … Dodge City's Jada Burton had an individual opponent high eight assists.