Barton's Downing nets KJCCC Player of the Week honor #GoBarton

Cougar Downing of the Barton Community College men's basketball team has been named the Week 11 KJCCC Division I Men's Basketball Player of the Week.

The honor is the first of the season for the Cougars and Downing's third recognition in his two-year Barton career.

Playing another week without the team's leading scorer, Downing played a huge role helping the Cougars to a pair of victories, the first coming on the road at Cowley College followed by Saturday's home win over Hutchinson Community College.

Averaging 23.5 points, four rebounds, the sophomore guard was 13-of-24 from the field including a perfect 18-of-18 from the charity stripe in just 28.5 minutes of court time per game.

Downing opened the week logging 19 points on 5-of-10 shooting while knocking down all eight free throw tosses and hauling in five boards in 34 minutes of action.

Playing with a heavy heart on Saturday, the Olathe, KS native led all scorers with a season high 28 points despite battling foul trouble for much of the second half seeing just 23 minutes of court time. Shooting another efficient 8-of-14 from the field, Downing would connect on 2-of-5 attempts from downtown and net his second straight game shooting 1.000% from the charity stripe sinking in all 10 attempts.

Saturday's victory was the first season Barton has swept the season series over Hutchinson since the 2014-15 campaign.

The Cougars make one of their longest trips of the season traveling to Independence Community College on Wednesday for a 7:30 p.m. tip.