JACKSON REACHES MILESTONE, LEADS DRAGONS PAST SAINTS

Hutchinson CC Sports Information

LIBERAL – Sophomore Hailey Jackson had a career-high offensive performance and reached a career statistical milestone to lead the No. 11-ranked Hutchinson Community College women's basketball team to a critical Jayhawk Conference victory on Saturday at the Green House.

Jackson scored a career-high 33 points to lead the Blue Dragons to a 58-50 KJCCC victory over the Seward County Saints.

The Blue Dragons improved to 26-3 overall and 20-3 in the Jayhawk. They remain one game behind No. 7 Dodge City for first place in the KJCCC. Hutchinson and Dodge City meet in the regular-season finale at 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday at the Sports Arena with a chance to claim a share of the 2025 Jayhawk Conference title. Seward County is now 19-10 overall, 10-9 in the KJCCC.

Jackson's made free throw with 6:38 remaining in the third quarter was her 1,000th career point in a Blue Dragon uniform. She is the first Blue Dragon to join the 1,000-point club since Tore Alford joined in 2022. Jackson now has 1,018 career list.

Jackson 33-point effort on Saturday was 9 of 17 shooting overall with a 3-pointer and 14 of 16 from the free-throw line. Jackson's 14 free throws tie with seven others for the fifth-most free throws in single-game history. Jackson added nine rebounds and three assists.

With the game tied at 47 with less than 3 minutes remaining in regulation. Jackson went on a personal 7-0 run to break the game open. First, Jackson broke the tie with a 3-point goal from the top of the key with 2:29 to go. Then after a Jada Pleasant steal, Jackson had a tough finish for a layup for a five-point lead with 1:51 remaining. Then a Landon Forbes' steal led to another Jackson layup for a 54-47 lead with 1:38 to play in the fourth quarter.

Forbes scored eight of her 13 points in the final quarter, hitting a pair of 3-pointers early in the period and with two free throws in Hutchinson's game-clinching 11-3 run to close the game. Forbes added five rebounds, four steals and three assists.

Pleasant was next with six points.

The Blue Dragons shot 34.7 percent (17 of 49), hitting 4 of 19 from 3-point range and 20 of 22 from the free-throw line. The Dragons out-rebounded Seward County 45-33, but had to overcome 22 turnovers.

Hutchinson's defense held the Saints to 25.9 percent shooting (14 of 54). The Saints were 4 of 13 from 3-point range and 18 of 25 from the foul line. Seward County had 11 turnovers. Ari Gordon had 18 points to lead the Saints.

The Blue Dragons got off to a great start, jumping out to a 14-1 lead with 3:35 left in the opening quarter. The Dragons went scoreless for the remainder of the quarter and Seward County cut the Hutchinson lead to 14-9 after 10 minutes.

The Dragons had a field-goal drought of 7 minutes, 32 seconds and were limited to just four free throws over that span. Seward County came back to tie the game at 16-all on two Avery Marchino free throws with 7:17 to play in the second quarter. Tied at 18, Jackson broke the field-goal drought with a three-point play at the 6:27 mark and the Blue Dragons closed the half on an 8-2 run. Forbes hit a 3-pointer at the halftime buzzer to give Hutchinson a 26-20 lead at intermission.

The Blue Dragons built a 33-24 lead with 5:55 to play in the third quarter and went cold again. Seward County went on an 11-0 run to take a 35-33 lead with 1:02 to play in the third quarter. Katie Duncan's jumper with 3 seconds left in the period tied the game at 35 entering the final quarter.

Forbes started the fourth quarter with back-to-back 3-pointers to give the Blue Dragons a 43-37 lead with 9:19 remaining. Jackson scored for a 47-42 lead with 6:49 to go. The Dragons went scoreless for the next 4 minutes, 20 seconds and Seward tied the game at 47 on a Marchino jumper with 2:51 to play.

On the Dragons' next possession, Jackson hit her 3-point goal from the top of the key to start her personal 7-0 run to break the game open.

GAME NOTES – Jackson's 33 points tied Kiki Smith for the 13th-most points scored in a single game. … Jackson's 14 free throws were the most by a Blue Dragon in a game since Mele Kailahe's 16 against Pratt on February 2, 2024. … The Dragons are now 55-50 all-time vs. Seward County, 30-20 at home and the Dragons have won seven in a row over the Saints. … Jackson now has 274 career free throws to move past Cian Carvalho and Mya Williams into third place on the career free-throw list. … Jackson moved 11th place on the Blue Dragon single-season scoring list with 540 points. … This was the eighth time this season to hold an opponent to less than 30 percent shooting. … The Dragons are 10-3 on the road.