Cougars earn big road win at Garden; control fate for home playoff game

Cougars earn big road win at Garden; control fate for home playoff game
The Barton County Community College men's basketball team has strung together its longest winning streak of the Jayhawk West season and has climbed above the .500 mark in conference play for the 1st as well. The Cougars did that with a big road win Saturday night in Garden City, defeating the Broncbusters 81-73 to move into sole possession of 4th place in the West. That would get Barton a home playoff game in the Region VI tournament just 2 more than weeks away. Barton is now 7-6 in the West and has won 3 straight West games. The Cougars are 19-7 overall. Garden City drops to 6-7 in the West and 17-9 overall. Next on the docket for the Cougars will be Butler County at the Barton Gym Wednesday night. The Cougars beat Butler in El Dorado earlier this year.

Highlights
The two clubs traded the lead most of the opening half with the contest seeing 10 ties and 11 lead changes in the opening 15 minutes of play. Barton took the lead late in the half as both teams struggled to score in the final 5 minutes. Following the 10th tie of the game at 31-all with 5:15 left, Barton scored just 7 points the final 5 minutes but Garden could only muster a single field goal at the 2:50 mark. That gave the Cougars a 38-33 lead at half. In the opening half Barton hit 5-of-8 3-pointers.

The Cougars would turn that 3-point shooting up even another notch in the 2nd half. During the final 20 minutes of action, Barton was an incredible 8-of-12 from behind the 3-point arc. Barton came out in the 2nd half and took control of the contest, pushing the lead to 50-39 at the 15 minute mark when Scott Schneider knocked down a 3-pointer. But it didn't take Garden long to get back in the game. With Barton up 55-45, the Broncbusters scored on 3 straight possessions while Barton came up empty and all the sudden it was 55-52 and the game was back on.

Barton held the lead until 5 minutes were left when a dunk by Sterling Link tied the game at 71-all. Once again, though, Barton would not its lead let slip away. After the teams traded empty possessions, Barton took a 73-71 when Javon Parris scored on an Antowine Lamb offensive rebound with 4 minutes to play. As the Cougars locked down on defense, Calhoun was coming through on the offensive end. He hit a pair of free throws for a 75-71 led then knocked down a jumper at the 2-minute mark for a 77-71 lead. After Calhoun missed the front end of a 1-and-1, he and Chip Steven both sank 2 free throws in the final minute to secure the win.

Barton offensive efficiency was very high in the 2nd half as the Cougars hit 50 percent from the field – aided by the 8-fo-12 on 3's – and made 7-of-8 free throws in the half as well. When the Cougars did miss they collected 13 2nd chance points on 7 offensive rebounds. The only downside to the offense in the 2nd half were 11 turnovers in what was a turnover-plagued game. Barton ended with 22 turnovers and Garden 19.

Chris Jackson and Steven each finished with 21 points for the game and both hit 5-of-7 3-pointers in the win. Calhoun added 13 and Nyika Williams 10. Lamb ended with 8 rebounds to lead Barotn while Calhoun and Williams each had 7. The Cougars out-rebounded the bigger Broncbusters 37-32 in the game. Corey Claitt led 4 Broncbusters in double figures with 18 followed by Jordan Ragan with 17 points and 11 assists, and 4 steals.

Barton will have 2 home games this week as Butler and Hutchinson come to the Barton Gym to test that 3-game winning streak. The Cougars have won 5 of 6 and are 7-3 since starting the conference season 0-3.

Stats
Stats can be found at www.bartonccc.edu/sports

Next 
Wed Feb 20 – v Butler, 8 pm (Jayhawk West contest at the Barton Gym in Great Bend)

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Check out Barton Basketball Online at www.bartonccc.edu/sports