DRAGONS HOLD OFF LATE THUNDERBIRD CHALLENGE FOR 23RD WIN

Hutchinson CC Sports Information

Leading by as many as 14 points midway through the third quarter, the No. 8-ranked Hutchinson Community College women's basketball team held off a fourth-quarter challenge to remain tied for first place in the Jayhawk Conference on Saturday at the Hutchinson Sports Arena.

Sophomore Hailey Jackson led three Blue Dragons to score in double figures and lead Hutchinson to a 71-66 victory over the Thunderbirds.

Hutchinson is now 23-2 overall and 16-2 in the KJCCC. The Blue Dragons travel to play at Cowley at 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday in Arkansas City. Cloud County is now 15-9 overall and 10-9 in league play.

The Blue Dragons won their 29th-straight game at the Sports Arena, which is the second-longest win streak at home in program history.

Cloud County led 19-18 after the first quarter, but the Blue Dragons turned things around to lead 36-30 at halftime and 52-38 with 4:46 to play in the third quarter. Cloud County cut that lead to seven points at the end of the third quarter and pulled within 65-63 with 3:03 remaining in the fourth quarter.

Landon Forbes answered the challenge for the Blue Dragons, hitting a 3-pointer with 1:57 to play to give the Dragons a two-possession lead. Jackson scored with 1:03 to go and later hit a field goal with 8 seconds left to secure the victory.

Jackson led the Blue Dragons with 22 points on 7 of 13 shooting with a 3-pointer. Jackson was 7 of 9 from the free-throw lead. Jackson was a rebound shy of a double-double, finishing with nine rebounds.

Forbes finished with 15 points, going 3 of 4 from 3-point range. Forbes also dished out a career-high eight assists and had three steals.

Jada Pleasant had 11 points with four assists, three rebounds and two steals. Kahlen Norris had nine points and three assists.

The Blue Dragons shot 44.1 percent (26 of 59), hitting 6 of 18 from 3-point range and 13 of 17 from the free-throw line. The Dragons out-rebounded Cloud County 42-35, but had to overcome 18 turnovers.

TiAna Davis had 16 points to lead Cloud County. Lilliana Petersen had 13 points and Talesia Thomas has 11 points for the Thunderbirds. Cloud County shot 36.5 percent (23 of 63), hitting 7 of 21 from 3-point range and 13 of 17 from the foul line. Cloud committed 16 turnovers.

The Blue Dragons got out fast, building a 12-5 lead after a Jackson 3-pointer with 6:36 remaining in the first quarter. Madi Denison had a putback with 3:28 to play made it 16-8 Hutchinson with 3:28 to go. Cloud County closed the quarter with an 11-3 run and took a 19-18 lead after a Dragon turnover turned into a Thomas layup with 8 seconds left in the opening quarter.

The Dragons reclaimed the lead with a 11-2 run over the first 4:17 of the second quarter. Four different Dragons scored in the run. Forbes' steal and layup capped the run to build a 29-21 lead with 5:43 remaining in the quarter. Cloud then scored the next five unanswered to pull with five. The Dragons had only two Jackson free throws in a span of 4:03 and Cloud pulled within 31-28 with 2:50 left in the half. A Brynne Katcher putback started a half-ending 5-2 run. Jackson converted a three-point play with 1:02 remaining and the Blue Dragons led 36-30 at halftime.

A Forbes' 3-pointer and a Pleasant 2-pointer to start the third quarter gave Hutchinson its first double-figure lead at 41-30 just 56 seconds into the third quarter. The lead grew to 52-38 after a Norris layup with 4:58 to play in the quarter. The Dragons were then limited to only a Forbes' 3-pointer with 2:38 to go as Cloud County closed the period on a 10-2 run to pull within 55-48 after three quarters.

A Katcher putback after an offensive rebound gave the Dragons a 61-52 lead with 6:19 left in the game. Cloud went on a 9-2 run to pull with 63-61 after a Petersen 3-point goal with 4:06 to go. After a Madi Denison basket, Petersen scored again on a layup to pull within 65-63 with 3:12 to play. Denison then kicked a pass out to Forbes, who hit a 3-pointer with 1:57 to play. Leading 68-65, the Dragons finished off the game with a Jackson layup with 1:03 to go.

GAME NOTES – Hailey Jackson had her 10th 20point game of the season and 13th of her career. … The Dragons are now 53-28 vs. Cloud County overall, 26-12 at the Sports Arena and it's the sixth-straight Hutchinson win in a row. … Jackson reached 944 career points, which is 10th in Blue Dragon history. Her 254 career free throws moves past Kirea Rogers for fifth and she moved past Amanda Flick, Mya Williams and Cian Carvalho into fifth in the single-season free-throw list with 152. … The Dragons had their 14th game this season with 10 or more steals. … The Dragons are 12-0 at the Sports Arena this season. … The Dragons are now 1-1 when trailing after the first quarter.