2004-05 Barton Women's Basketball News
The Barton County Community College women’s basketball team has signed 6 players for the upcoming season to go along with 11 returning sophomore giving the Cougars a deep squad for Coach Lane Lord’s 2nd season at the helm of the program. Barton inked 3 in-state and 3 out-of-state players.
Former Barton County Community College men’s basketball player Kurt Budke will take over the reigns of the Oklahoma State University women’s basketball program it was announced Monday afternoon. Budke spent the last 3 seasons as the head coach at Louisiana Tech, where he guided them to an 80-16. Budke was an All-Conference player for Barton County during his playing days in 1981. The Salina-native becomes the 6th coach in Oklahoma State women’s basketball history. Joining him will be legendary Seward County Coach Jim Littell, whom Budke named as Associate Head Coach in one of his first moves with the Cowgirls.
A pair of Barton County Community College women’s basketball players earned All-Jayhawk West honors for their performance this year in helping revive the Barton County women’s hoops program. Sophomore Vivian Ewalefo and freshman Sunshine Uli were named to the team with Ewalefo grabbing 2nd team honors and Uli earning honorable mention status. The two 1st-year players help the Cougars go from 8th in the West to 4th in the West and advance to the Region VI Championship game for the 1st since 2000. Ewalefo also earned honorable mention All-Region VI.
The Barton County Community College women’s basketball team was looking to reestablish itself as the top team in Region VI. No other team has more Region VI titles – 8 – that the Cougars. But standing in the way was the new powerhouse of the region – Seward County. And the new powerhouse showed they are still the king of the hill. Seward used a big 2nd half to hand Barton its worst loss of the season, 63-38 in the Region VI title game at the Bicentennial Center in Salina. The loss ends Barton and 1st year coach Lane Lord’s season at 22-12. Seward County, 32-2, will move onto its 4th NJCAA National Tournament next week at the same venue in Salina.
The Barton County Community College women’s basketball team is currently on a tour of paybacks. The 2nd of those came in the Region VI Tournament semifinals as Barton took care of Coffeyville at the Bicentennial Center Tuesday afternoon. Barton knocked off the Red Ravens, 71-64, to move within a single game of advancing to the NJCAA National Tournament for the 1st time in 5 years. Barton will get the opportunity to seek one last payback at the Region VI tournament Wednesday when the Cougars tangle with Jayhawk West champion Seward County at 6 pm. Barton (22-11) and the No. 6 ranked Saints (31-2) will met for the 3rd time this season.
The Barton County Community College women’s basketball team garnered a bit of revenge Monday night but more than anything moved themselves into the semifinals of the Region VI Tournament with an upset win over Jayhawk East champion Cowley County. The Cougars, who lost by 6 points to Cowley earlier this year in Great Bend, handed the Tigers just their 2nd loss of the season with a 59-50 win at the Bicentennial Center in Salina. The win for Barton moved the 21-11 Cougars into today’s semifinal against Coffeyville (23-9) at 3 pm at the Bi Center. Cowley ended a memorable season at 30-2.
The Barton County Community College women’s basketball team accomplished post season mission one – a 1st round win in the Region VI playoffs. The Cougars moved into quarterfinal action in Salina Monday with a 70-37 win over Neosho County Wednesday night at the Barton County Gym. The win will move the Cougars (20-11) forward in the Region VI bracket to take on the Jayhawk East Champion Cowley County (30-1). The two will play the final game of the day Monday at the Bicentennial Center, tipping at 7 p.m.
The Barton County Community College women’s basketball team gave the No. 6 ranked Seward County Saints all they wanted Saturday night before coming up just short on the home floor of the Jayhawk West Champions. Barton fell 62-60 to the Saints in the Greenhouse in Liberal, where Seward is now 189-2 in the past 14 seasons. The loss dropped the Cougars to 19-11 overall this season and 9-7 in the Jayhawk West. Seward County wrapped up the West title with a 14-2 mark and a 28-2 overall record. The Cougars did secure the No. 4 seed in the West and will host a 1st round playoff game for the 1st time since 2001. Barton will host to Neosho County Wednesday night at 7 pm at the Barton County Gym.
The Barton County Community College women’s basketball team saw Dodge City hit high gear in the 2nd half Wednesday night at the Civic Center in Dodge City. That resulted in the Conquistadors storming from behind to pick up big Jayhawk West win, 85-76. Dodge City scored 59 2nd half points to turn a Barton halftime lead into the win. Barton is still holding the final home playoff spot in the Jayhawk West with one game to go. Barton is now 9-6 in the West and 19-10 overall. Dodge City moves to 11-4 and 24-5. Barton will travel to West champion Seward County to wrap up the regular season Saturday.
The Barton County Community College women’s basketball team moved closer to hosting a home playoff with a win over Cloud County Saturday night at the Barton County Gym. The Cougars rolled to a 60-47 win over Cloud to stay in a tie for 4th place in the West. The Cougars improved to 9-5 in West play and 19-9 overall. Cloud County fell to 14-15 overall and 5-10 in the West. The Cougars contest was the final home game for Barton, who will conclude with road games at Dodge City and Seward County.
The Barton County Community College women’s basketball team stopped a 2-game losing streak for the 4th time this season at 2. Barton, which has lost only 9 games this season, has dropped 8 of those in 4 2-game losing skids. All of those have ended at 2. The latest was no different as the Cougars rolled to a 74-63 win over Butler County Wednesday night at the Barton County Gym. The win kept the Cougars in contention for a home playoff contest as Barton moved to 8-5 in the West and 18-9 overall. Butler falls to 12-15 and 3-10. Cloud County closes out the home portion of the regular season for Barton Saturday when the Thunderbirds visit the Barton County Gym.
The Barton County Community College women’s basketball team has been viewing the Jayhawk West from the top half of the conference nearly all season long. That view may change if the Cougars don’t find their winning formula again quickly. Barton lost for the 2nd straight time Saturday night, losing at home to Hutchinson, 52-50. Barton had beaten Hutch by 15 points in Hutchinson earlier this year. The loss drops the Cougars out of 4-way tie for 2nd place in the West. Barton is now 7-5 in the West and 17-9 overall. Hutch remains in a 2nd place tie with an 8-4 West mark and is 21-4 overall. Barton will host Butler Wednesday at 5:30 pm as it tries to right the ship.
The Barton County Community College women’s basketball team has its sights set on a home basketball contest to start the Region VI tournament. In order to that, the Cougars must protect their home floor the rest of the West and schedule and try and steal a road win or two. Barton started that quest with a 68-56 home win over Garden City Wednesday night at the Barton County Gym. The win moves Barton to 7-3 in West play, alone in 2nd place. The Cougars are now 17-7 overall this season. Garden falls to 1-8 in West action and 12-11 overall. The Cougars are off Saturday night and will return to action Wednesday when they travel to Colby for a 6 pm tip.
The Barton County Community College women’s basketball team showed it is growing up Saturday night by pulling out a hard-fought, come-from-behind 74-68 road win at Pratt. The Cougars trailed most the contest at the Beaver Dome and struggled from the free throw line nearly the entire night before turning things around in the game’s final minutes to earn the win. The win over Pratt not only avenged an earlier season loss at home for the Cougars, it kept Barton in 2nd place in the Jayhawk West at 6-3. The Cougars are now 16-7 overall. That is the highest win total for the Cougars since a 21-win effort in 2000-01. Pratt fell to 3-6 in the West with the loss and 16-7 overall.
The Barton County Community College women’s basketball team had defeated a ranked opponent in each of the last 2 weeks. For a while Wednesday night at the Barton County Gym it looked as if the Cougars might beat their highest ranked foe to date. But it wasn’t to be as No. 5 Seward County rallied from a 10-point 2nd half deficit to defeat the Cougars, 65-62. With the loss, Barton missed out on a share of the Jayhawk West lead, falling to 5-3 in the West and 15-7 overall. Seward County improves to 21-1 overall and a league-leading 7-1 in the West.
It was one of those games for the Barton County Community College women’s basketball team. One of that contest that is easy to overlook and a mistake to do so. The Cougars entered the contest with Cloud County Saturday in Concordia on a 5-game winning streak and just one win from a 6-1 mark in the West and a battle with 6-1 Seward Wednesday looming for the top spot in the West. Cloud was just 1-5 in conference play. But the Cougars only lead of the game was 5-3 and it lasted just 10 seconds. Cloud County dominated most of the game then held on for a 61-56 win over Barton in Arley Bryant Gym. The loss dropped Barton to 5-2 in the West and 15-6 overall. Cloud is now 2-5 and 11-10. Barton will still battle Seward for a share of the lead Wednesday night at the Barton County Gym.