Trailing for just under three minutes Friday afternoon in Hutchinson, the Barton Community College men's basketball team held off any rally attempt to win 96-80 over Region VI member Labette Community College in the Atrium Classic at the Sports Arena.
Handing Labette its first loss in its three games, the Cougars stay unblemished in its three contests of the year despite being held under 100 points for the first time. Barton returns to the Arena on Saturday to take on Murray State College (2-2) as the Aggies are coming off a 92-64 second half beat down to 10th ranked Hutchinson Community College.
Labette led throughout the opening 2:52 before a 10-0 Barton run flipped the scrip as a host of Cougars led by Jaheim Holden's eight points increased the lead to an eventual nine point margin.
Eight straight Labette points got the Cardinals back into the action late in the first half, tying the contest with less than four minutes left.
Getting twenty-three points off the bench in the opening twenty minutes, Keandre Bowles' bucket halted the Cardinals' run with Breontae Hunt's five points and Demetrius Douglas offensive put back helping Barton outscore Labette 13-5 on the way to a 43-35 lead at the break.
Seven straight out of the locker room ballooned the lead to fifteen as a host of Cougars up and down the lineup contributed to holding a nineteen point edge going into the 8:49 second half media timeout.
Diovonte Caldwell began lighting up the Cardinals keeping the margin out of reach, scoring eight points with Bowles and Justin Harmon swishing in six more each.
Holden was nearly unstoppable on the night, rising up to knock down 4-of-6 beyond the arc for a game and career high twenty-one points while dishing out three assists and registering three steals. Bowles dropped eighteen points for the second consecutive game in leading a twenty-four point bench edge over Labette with Harmon also reaching double-figures for the third straight game in scoring fifteen including a 7-of-9 effort from the stripe.
Caldwell also tallied fifteen points, knocking down 3-of-5 from long range, and dishing out a game high seven assists. Demarcus Morris led the Cougar rebounding in gathering eleven as Barton was outrebounded by six in the contest.
Toraze Dobbs led Labette with eighteen points and nine rebounds, Luis Mellan and Xavier Ughutevbe each contributed thirteen, and Maklyah Jones added ten with a team high five assists.