Hutchinson CC Sports Information
DODGE CITY – The No. 11-ranked Hutchinson Community College Men's Basketball team scored the first 13 points on Monday night against Dodge City and never looked back.
The Blue Dragons avenged a January loss to the Conquistadors and clinched the No. 2 overall seed for the Region VI Tournament with a 76-58 victory over Dodge City.
Hutchinson improves to 25-5 overall. Coffeyville clinched the Jayhawk Conference championship on Monday with a victory over Cowley in Coffeyville. That game, combined with Hutchinson's win at Dodge City gives the Blue Dragons the No. 2 overall Region VI Tournament seed. The Dragons finish in a second-place tie with Barton at 21-5.
Hutchinson won its 10th consecutive game on Dodge City's home floor.
Rob Whitfield's 3-pointer with 15:30 to play in the opening half gave the Blue Dragons a 13-0 lead. The closest the Conquistadors got was eight points in the first half and seven points in the second half.
Sophomore J.J. Rhymes became the eighth Blue Dragon in history to reach the 1,200-point mark after scoring a game-high 22 points. Rhymes hit 7 of 11 shots, including one 3-pointer, and 7 of 8 from the free-throw line. Rhymes just missed a double-double with nine rebounds.
Sophomore Devonte Bandoo had 12 points, seven rebounds and three assists. Bandoo is now No. 20 on the career scoring list.
Whitfield had 11 points for Hutchinson. Sophomore Kai Mitchell had a strong all-around game with six points, eight rebounds, six assists and a career-high five blocked shots.
The Blue Dragons shot 41.9 percent for the game (26 of 62), hitting only 2 of 9 from 3-point range and 22 of 29 from the foul line. The Dragons out-rebounded Dodge City 55-44.
Defensively, the Blue Dragons held their second-straight opponent to less than 30-percent shooting. Dodge City was held to 27.3 percent overall shooting (21 of 77), hitting 6 of 29 from 3-point range and 10 of 15 from the foul line.
Kevin Howard had 15 points, while Jyrus Freels had 12 points and 12 rebounds.
GAME NOTES – Blue Dragon head coach Steve Eck won his 256th game as the Blue Dragon head coach and is now four wins away from becoming the Blue Dragons career leader in coaching victories. … The Dragons are now 117-69 all-time against Dodge City. … J.J. Rhymes now has 1,201 career points and Bandoo has 962 career points.