No. 19 Cougars rededicate in 92-65 win over Colby
A week removed from falling by two at the nation’s top ranked team, the No. 19 Barton Community College men’s basketball team cruised to a 92-65 victory over Colby Community College Wednesday night at the Barton Gym. Barton improves to 4-2 in conference play and 17-3 overall while keeping Colby winless in conference play at 0-7 and dropping the Trojans to 9-12 overall. The Cougars return to the Jayhawk road on Saturday to play Pratt Community College in a 8:00 p.m. conference tilt at the Dennis Lesh Sports Arena.
With a slim 19-17 lead at the midpoint, the Cougars outscored Colby 26-10 in the last ten minutes to lead 45-27 at halftime. Sophomore guards Andell Cumberbatch and Algie Key led the charge with seventeen and fourteen points respectively as the Cougars turned an eleven to one turnover advantage to a sixteen point advantage.
The Cougars remained in full control throughout the second half and led by as many as 29 late in the contest.
In a brief halftime ceremony, the official dedication of Barton's new basketball court took place honoring the contributions of Dr. L.T. and Sheila Fleske. Barton recently installed a new maple floor through the financial generosity of the Fleske family.
Sophomore guards Andell Cumberbatch and Algie Key had big nights for the Cougars leading the charge with twenty-seven points each. Cumberbatch, who was 4-of-5 from behind the arc, also recorded his fourth double-double in six conference games as he grabbed twelve rebounds to lead all players. Freshman guard Kevin Kuteyi also reached double-figures in scoring fourteen. Key led the team in assists with six while also tying teammate Rapheal Stephens for the team lead in steals with four.
Terry Starks came off the Colby bench to score nineteen in leading three Trojans in double-digit scoring. Cody Sluder scored seventeen while John Clarke scored ten. Starks led the Trojans in assists with five while Sluder led the team with two blocks and two steals. Colby's leading scorers Jeremiah Ingram and Kris Rolle were held to a combined fourteen points below their average. Rolle, who leads the Jayhawk West in rebounds at 13.6 per game, was also held to only five total rebounds as the Cougars outrebounded Colby 38-16 including a 18-9 advantage on the offensive glass.