Cougars own last six minutes grabbing conference opening win at Pratt

The Barton Community College men's basketball team owned the final six minutes of Wednesday night's Jayhawk Conference opener closing on a 15-0 run knocking off host Pratt Community College 68-52.   Snapping a two game skid at the Dennis Lesh Sports Arena, Barton improves to 9-3 on the season dropping Pratt to 7-4.   The Cougars will head to El Dorado on Saturday for their next contest playing at Butler Community College in a 4:00 p.m. tip at the Power Plant.

Taking over three minutes for the first ball to drop through the nets, the first half was a back and forth affair with each team going on multiple four-plus point runs including Barton's 8-0 run answered by Pratt's 5-0 run to close the half tying the game at twenty-eight.

Continuing the back-n-forth trend in second half play, Derek Dorn's baseline drive finishing with a kiss off the glass gave the Cougars a two point lead with nine minutes left.  Three minutes later Dorn buried a baseline trey in front of the Barton bench in what would be a dagger in Pratt's final 5:45 of the night.

Anthony Smith drew an offensive player control call wiping off a would be Pratt bucket in the lane and with Dorn converting on the ensuing possession, Barton's lead grew to eight.  Following another defensive stop, the Cougar scoring run grew to ten as reigning Co-Conference Player of the Week Dequandre Dentmond was fouled on a low block power move converting the and-1 pushing the lead out to eleven with 2:50 to play.  

Coming off the bench with a solid floor game, Eddie Hunt came up with a steal and then later zipped a pass through the lane for a Dentmond finish to keep the Barton momentum rolling along.  John Barbee then stole an ensuing Pratt pass taking it all the way to the rim converting 1-of-2 free throws growing the lead to fifteen with 1:06 left.   Dorn would add the icing on the 15-0 run making the second of two charity throws with thirty-three seconds on the clock.

Eight Cougars hit the scoring the column led by Dorn's nineteen points.  Dentmond added fifteen including a team high three assists while Smith led a balanced attack on the glass with five boards.

Anthony Naimie led three Beavers in double-digit scoring with twelve while Byron Smith posted a double-double eleven point eleven rebound night.   Andrew Newbill contributed ten points with Brian Wright and Julian Winton taking top assist honors with six each.