Hutchinson CC Sports Information
The Hutchinson Community College men's basketball team shot 50 percent or better for the 11th time this season and had the second-most blocked shots in single-game history on Wednesday night as the Blue Dragons rolled by the Dodge City Conquistadors 94-53.
Hutchinson shot 52.5 percent in the first half and used a 24-8 run midway through the first half to open a 50-23 lead. The Blue Dragons finished the game at 53.3 percent to shoot 50 percent or better for the fifth time in the last six games and in 11 games this season.
Freshman center Fred Odhiambo blocked a career-high nine blocked shots to lead a 15-block performance from the Dragons. Those nine rejections are the third most in Blue Dragon single-game history. Odhiambo had eight blocks against Dodge City in the first meeting on January 23. The 15 team blocks tied the 2003 Blue Dragons for the second most blocks in a single game. The 2003 Dragons blocked 15 shots against Allen County in the Jayhawk Shooting on December 8, 2003.
Hutchinson improves to 21-6 overall and 12-6 in the Jayhawk West. Hutch completes the season sweep of Dodge City, which dropped its 10th game in a row and fell to 7-20 overall and 2-16 in the Jayhawk West.
Sophomore James Rojas had his second-straight 20-point game with 24 points on 9 of 12 shooting with a 3-pointer. Rojas had six rebounds and three assists.
D.J. Mitchel had 18 points, hitting 3 of 9 from long range. Saquan Singleton had 11 points on 5 of 6 shooting with eight rebounds. Malique Jacobs Chris Giles and Rheaquone Taylor had eight points each.
Every Blue Dragon to play scored, had at least two rebounds and one assists in the game.
The Blue Dragons hit 40 of 75 total shots, nailing 5 of 17 from 3-point range. Hutch was just 9 of 20 from the free-throw line. The Dragons out-rebounded Dodge City 60-42 and had 22 assists and 11 steals in the game.
The Blue Dragons held down the Dodge City's Jyrus Freels, Jayhawk Conference's leading scorer. Freels was six points under his 19-point scoring average with 13 points on 5 of 14 shooting. Justice Dixon led the Conquistadors with 10 points.
Dodge City was 21 of 77 shooting (27.3 percent), going 3 of 21 from 3-point range and 8 of 16 from the free-throw line. The Conqs had 16 turnovers.
The 53 points allowed were the fewest Dodge City has scored against Hutchinson since 2003 then the Conqs scored 52.
Freels scored with 12:20 to play in the first half to cut the Dragon lead to 12-11. Hutch answered with back-to-back Giles baskets and a Mitchell 3-pointer to go up 19-11 with 11:19 to go. That was the start of the key 24-8 run that was capped at the 6:09 mark of the first half when Rojas stuck a 3-pointer to give Hutch a 33-16 lead. Ultimately, Hutch outscored Dodge City 38-12 over the final 12:20 of the first half, hitting 5 of 11 from 3-point range.
Hutch pushed the lead to 30 for the first time at 59-29 after a Rojas layup. Odhiambo's tip-in with 9:41 to play increased the lead to 41 points. Hutch's largest lead was 47 points after a Singleton jumper with 4:25 to go.
The Blue Dragons will travel to Colby for a 5 p.m. game on Saturday in Colby.
GAME NOTES –The Blue Dragons have had 25 blocked shots in two games this season. The Dragons have 158 for the season, which is eighth most in team history. … The Dragons are now 119-64 against Dodge City, including 57-26 in Hutchinson. … This was all-time win No. 1,801 for the Blue Dragons. … Hutch reached 60 rebounds in a game for the second time this season.