For every member of the Barton Community College men's basketball team, Thursday night's added game provided a great opportunity for added experience. With each player getting significant playing time and scoring in the contest, the Cougars rolled to a 117-82 victory over the K-State Salina Club basketball team. Barton improves to 10-4 while K-State Salina drops to 0-6 on the season. The Cougars will wrap up the fall portion of the schedule on Monday when Barton hosts the Hesston College Larks for a 7:30 p.m. contest. It will also be the last game for the Lady Cougars as they will take on the Lady Larks at 5:30 p.m.
Leading by a slim 23-22 margin at the first half media timeout, the Cougars began taking control of the contest increasing the lead to thirteen in the next five minutes. Despite 8-of-15 shooting from beyond the arc by K-State Salina, Barton dominated the paint to lead 62-51 at the halftime break.
Barton abruptly slammed the door on K-State Salina to start the second half, going on a 18-0 run highlighted by four alley-oop dunks to Raheem Johnson. With the lead only dipping to below twenty-five a few times, the Cougars finished off K-State Salina in part to a 92-28 difference in the paint and sizable 60-3 bench points production.
Raheem Johnson led four Cougars in double-digit scoring with 24 points in sixteen minutes to go along with eight rebounds and four block shots. Coming off the bench two Cougars put up career totals. Rashawn Walker scored a career high 20 points to go with seven rebounds while Montrell McKenzie posted career highs in points and rebounds scoring fifteen points and six rebounds. Darius Gibson scored thirteen points while Darryln Johnson just missed a double-double with nine points and a team high fourteen rebounds. Tyler Corley led the Cougars dishing out a career high twelve assists and team high three steals.
K-State Salina's Duncan Curtis led all scorers with thirty-eight points on 13-of-21 shooting including 4-of-5 from behind the arc. Kyle Smith scored thirteen with a team leading six assists and three steals while Brandon Marienelli scored twelve. Jacob Boeschling led in rebounding with eight.