Hutchinson CC Sports Information
GREAT BEND – The No. 15-ranked Hutchinson Community College men's basketball team overcame a tough-offensive first half to shoot better than 51 percent and outscore McCook Community College by 22 points in the second half on Friday at the Barton Cougar Booster Club Classic at the Barton Gym.
With four players scoring in double figures, the Blue Dragons pulled away in the second half for an 88-61 victory over the Indians in the first meeting between Hutchinson and McCook since 1998.
Hutchinson is now 5-0 to start the season and will complete the non-conference portion of the schedule at 3 p.m. on Saturday against the Clarendon Bulldogs in Great Bend.
The Blue Dragons shot only 29.7 percent in the first half (11 of 37) and led McCook only 32-27 at halftime. The Indians had a 27-26 lead after a Damien Perry inside hoop with 1:51 to play.
The final 1:31 of the first half was a precursor of what was to come for the Dragons. Jayden Hall hit a 3-pointer with 1:31 to play in the half, then Jacquez Yow completed a three-point play with 21 seconds to play to lift Hutchinson to a 32-27 lead at halftime.
The Blue Dragons scored the first five points to start the second half – a Josiah Harris layup and Angelo Stuart three-point play – to complete a 11-0 run and build a 37-27 lead with 18:46 to play in the second half. McCook got as close as seven points twice, the final time coming with 14:45 to play. The Dragons answered that challenge with an 8-0 run over a stretch of just 50 seconds. Hutch led 53-38 with 12:50 to play after back-to-back Yow inside buckets.
Hutchinson closed the game with a 13-2 run. The Blue Dragons shot 51.1 percent (24 of 47) in the second half, forcing McCook into 13 of their 29 turnovers in the final 20 minutes. The Dragons had a major 31-11 advantage in points off turnovers, including 20-4 in the second half.
Stuart led the Blue Dragons with a team-high 19 points with five rebounds and three assists. Stuart hit 3 of 5 from 3-point range.
Yow had a season-high 18 points and six rebounds – five of those were offensive which helped Hutchinson to a 23-10 advantage in second-chance points.
Kaimen Lennox had 15 points and Kobe Campbell came off the bench to score 12 points, all 12 came in the second half. Cecil Lee finished with eight points, nine rebounds and three blocked shots.
Hutchinson shot 41.7 percent for the game (35 of 84), going 8 of 30 from 3-point range and 19 of 13 from the free-throw line. The Dragons outrebounded McCook 49-39 and had 23 offensive boards. The Dragons had 17 turnovers, only five in the second half.
Shemar Dennis had a game-high 22 points to lead McCook. Perry and DaMiene Boles had 11 points each. The Indians were 20 of 56 overall (35.6 percent), going 4 of 13 from distance and 17 of 28 from the foul line.
GAME NOTES – This was career coaching win No. 401 for Blue Dragon head coach Tommy DeSalme, who is the sixth head coach in team history to start his career 5-0. The others were Dick Gisel, Steve McClain, Tim Jankovich, Ryan Swanson and Steve Eck. … The Dragons are now 5-1 all-time against McCook.