It wasn't an award winning style point performance for the Barton Community College men's basketball team but the Cougars dominated the paint Wednesday night at the Barton Gym earning a 66-57 win over Cloud County Community College. The Cougars' twenty rebound advantage aided by a near 89% effort from the free throw line kept the T-birds at arm's length as Barton led wire-to-wire in snapping a three game slide. Improving to 9-7 in conference play and 18-11 on the season the Cougars jumped back into fifth place in the standings while Cloud County sinks to 2-15 in the Jayhawk and 9-19 overall. Barton will next play its final regular season contest this Saturday traveling to No. 7 ranked Hutchinson Community College for a 7:30 p.m. tip at the Sports Arena. The Cougars will begin Region VI tournament action on Thursday, February 25, on their home court against an opponent yet to be determined.
A pair of sophomore transfers led the Cougars in scoring while also combining for a perfect 17-of-17 from the charity stripe. Derek Dorn's twenty points took high honors with eight coming from the stripe while Dequandre Dentmond sunk nine from the line finishing with fifteen points and a team high nine rebounds including four on the offensive glass. Jordan Windholz led the team with four steals coming up short of a double-figure scoring night with nine points while fellow sophomore Tyrone Acuff dished out a team high three assists.
Aamahne Santos led a balanced T-bird attack with thirteen points knocking down three second half three-pointers keeping Cloud County in the contest while Dejaun Sherman came off the bench adding ten points.