HCC Sports Information
Friday, January 13, 2017
DODGE CITY – The No. 2-ranked Hutchinson Community College men's basketball team used a strong late first-half run to set the tone for what turned out to be a dominant performance against Dodge City on Friday.
Playing a day earlier that originally scheduled became of winter weather, the Blue Dragons shot better than 50 percent again and rolled to a 92-66 victory over the Conquistadors at the new Dodge City Student Activity Center.
Hutchinson improves to 17-0 overall to 13-0 in the Jayhawk Conference. The Blue Dragons hold a 3 1/2 game lead as the first half of the conference season comes to a close. Third-place Dodge City slips to 12-5 overall and 9-4 in the conference.
The Blue Dragons jumped out fast in building a 21-11 lead with 13 minutes to play after three Samajae Haynes-Jones free throws. After a timeout, the Conquistadors settled in and reeled off 11 unanswered points to lead 22-21 after a Josh Boutte basket with 10:36 left in the half.
Leading 33-30 with 6:30 to play, the Dragons mounted what turned into a crippling run for the Conquistadors. Hutch closed the first half with a 17-6 run to lead 50-36 at halftime. Haynes-Jones had 17 points in the opening 20 minutes. The Dragon march kept going to open the second half as Hutchinson scored the first 11 points of the period to complete a 28-6 run over a span of 8 minutes, 47 seconds to lead 61-36 with 17:35 remaining.
The closest Dodge City got after that was 18 points.
Haynes-Jones led four Blue Dragons in double figures with 24 points, five rebounds, two assists and two steals. Haynes-Jones was 3 of 5 from 3-point range.
Sophomore Shakur Juiston posted his ninth double-double of the season with 17 points – on 8 of 9 shooting – and 11 rebounds. Juiston also had five steals.
Sophomore James Conley had 11 points, seven assists, four rebounds and three steals. Freshman Devonte Bandoo also had 11 points.
The Blue Dragons shot better than 50 percent for the 10th time this season going 35 of 69 overall (50.7 percent), 4 of 13 from 3-point range and 18 of 26 from the free-throw line. Hutch had a 40-39 rebounding advantage.
The Dragons' defense held Dodge City to season lows of 66 points and 36.4 percent field-goal shooting. Dodge was 24 of 66 overall, 8 of 24 from 3-point range and 10 of 14 from the foul line. The Conquistadors turned the ball over 24 times.
Boutte and Harris Brown had 14 points each to lead Dodge City. Dreon Lewis had 12 points.
Hutchinson led 9-1, but saw that margin shrink with 13-11 after a Trey Grundy field goal with 14:08 to go in the half. Haynes-Jones started the second Dragon surge of the game with a 3-pointer. After a Kai Mitchell dunk, Haynes-Jones hit all three free throws after being fouled on a deep shot and the Dragons led 21-11 with 13 minutes to play in the half.
Dodge City's' 11-0 run took just 2 minutes, 24 seconds and Boutte's field goal with 10:36 left gave the Conquistadors a 22-21 lead and forced a Blue Dragon timeout. Hutch immediately reclaimed the lead on a Sal Nuhu dunk and three-point play with 9:52 remaining. Hutch led 30-28 when Haynes-Jones connected from deep, but two Kourtney Ware free throws with 6:30 left pulled Dodge within 33-30.
Fatir Hines came off the bench and hit 3 of 4 free throws to slow the Dodge advance. The Conquistadors stayed close with two Lewis field goals, the second with 3:53 remaining cut the Dragon lead to 40-34. Hutch's defense clamped down to force numerous Dodge City turnovers which led to dunks from Haynes-Jones and Juiston. When Haynes-Jones completed a three-point play with 17 seconds left the Dragons had reeled off 10-striaght points before a Dayton McGroarty bucket at the buzzer gave Hutch a 50-36 lead at halftime.
The Blue Dragons started the second half with an emphatic statement. A field goal from J.J. Rhymes, a Haynes-Jones 3-pointer and dunks from Juiston, Conley and Haynes-Jones highlighted an 11-0 run to start the half and complete the decisive 28-6 run. The Dragons led 61-36 with 17:35 to play.
Dodge City scored the second seven points, but the Dragons countered with a 9-0 run to build a 70-43 lead with 13:10 left after a Juiston basket.
The Dragons had one more 8-0 run to lead 83-52 with 7:11 left after a Haynes-Jones field goal.
The Blue Dragons play host to Seward County at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday in the Sports Arena.
GAME NOTES – The Blue Dragons are now 115-63 all-time against Dodge City, including 48-32 in games played in Dodge City. … The 2016-17 Blue Dragons tie the 2010-11 team for the fourth-best start to a season at 17-0. … This was all-time win No. 1,733 for the Blue Dragons.