Hutchinson CC Sports Information
With the first loss of the season still fresh and minus one of its top players, the Hutchinson Community College men's basketball team passed an early-season test on Saturday against high-powered Neosho County at the Sports Arena.
The No. 14-ranked Blue Dragons rebounded from Wednesday's loss to No. 8 Coffeyville and closed out a three-game season-opening homestand with an 83-70 Jayhawk Conference victory over Neosho County.
Hutchinson improves to 2-1 and events its KJCCC record at 1-1. The Panthers fall to 2-2 and 0-2. The Blue Dragons travel for the first time this season on Wednesday when they go to the Power Plant in El Dorado to face the Butler Grizzlies.
The Blue Dragons played their first game without sharp-shooter Josh Baker, who is out of action for at least four weeks with an injury. Several Blue Dragons stepped up Saturday night in Baker's absence.
Freshman Chris Robinson scored a season-high 22 points with a 3-pointer and 11 of 13 free-throw shooting. Robinson also made several hustle plays to aid the Dragons.
Sophomore forward Majok Kuath scored a season-high 19 points on 7 of 10 shooting. He added eight rebounds and three blocked shots.
Sophomore Matt Mayers posted his second double-double of the season with 25 points and 11 rebounds.
Sophomore Isaiah Bujdoso had a season-high 11 points to go with six rebounds and five assists.
Hutchinson made 26 of 59 total shots (44.1 percent), going 3 of 16 from 3-point range and 28 of 37 from the free-throw line. Hutchinson had a season-high plus-20 rebounding advantage, outrebounding Neosho County 52-32.
The Blue Dragons had to overcome the eight 3-point night of Neosho County's Magic Reliford, who finished with a game-high 24 points.
The Panthers were 14 of 41 from 3-point range and 26 of 72 shooting overall (36.1 percent). Neosho County was held to season lows for points, shot percentage and rebounds. Neosho was 4 of 7 from the foul line.
De'Antrey Harris had 13 points, while Daniel Titus had 12 points and Deondre Buggage finished with 10 points.
Neosho County led by six at 14-8 with 14:07 remaining in the first half. The Blue Dragons chipped away and took a 15-14 lead after Robinson's three-point play, Reliford and Buggage each hit 3-pointers in the first half and the Panthers had a 25-24 lead with 7 minutes to play in the half.
Leading 30-29, the Blue Dragons scored 10 unanswered points to lead 40-32 with 20 seconds remaining in the half. Buggage hit a jumper just prior to the halftime horn and the Blue Dragons led 40-32 at halftime.
A Robinson free throws with 13:31 to go in the second half capped a 13-2 Blue Dragon run. Hutch pushed the lead to 20 for the first time with 11:55 remaining on a Kuath free throw.
Still leading 66-44, Reliford warmed up from distance by hitting four-straight 3-pointers to cut the Dragon lead to 73-66 with 3:41 to play, Hutchinson closed the game on a 10-4 run.
GAME NOTES – The Blue Dragons won their seventh-straight over Neosho County and are now 43-5 all-time, including 24-1 in games played in Hutchinson. … This was all-time Blue Dragon victory No. 1,831. … Hutch's 52 team rebounds were a season high.