Monday it was 3.6 seconds and Wednesday it was 6.3 seconds. For the second time in three days at the Barton Gym, the Barton Community College men's basketball team lost on a late play as the Cougars came up short 96-94 to Garden City Community College.
The result slides Barton to fourth in the conference race at 7-7 and 9-7 overall as Garden City leapfrogs the Broncbusters into third place at 7-6 and 8-6 on the year.
Barton won't have time to dwell on the latest pair of contests with four more games on the slate in the next week. Two of the games will go against Colby Community College, with the Trojans coming to the Barton Gym on Friday for a 2:00 p.m. tip then the Cougars will travel to Colby on Sunday for a 4:00 p.m. tip at the Community Building. After spending the night on the road, Barton will head to Seward County Community College for an 8:00 p.m. tip on Monday. The Cougars will then return to Fleske Court on Wednesday in welcoming No. 6 Coffeyville Community College in a 7:30 p.m. tip-off.
Desean Munson led four Cougars in double-figures behind 10-of-12 shooting from the field and 5-of-6 from the stripe for 25 points while just missing his fifth double-double of the season in hauling down a team leading eight rebounds. Justin Harmon, who flirted with a triple-double in the season opener and has come close numerous times in his Barton career, finally recorded his first double-double with a game high 10 assists to go along with 20 points. Jaheim Holden added 12 points with Shawn Warrior providing a boost off the bench with 10 points.
Denver Jones took game high honors with 27 points, knocking down 4-of-5 from behind the arc and 7-of-7 from the stripe. Jasman Sangha scored 20 points and Khadim Samb contributing 16 points off the bench.
RECAP
Neither team could muster much of a lead in the forty minutes as Barton's largest lead came at the thirteen minute mark by six and Garden City's coming with 2:28 in the first half at five points.
The Cougars led 94-91 with 1:15 remaining on a pair of Warrior free throws but missed an opportunity to increase its lead. Following a Garden City turnover, Barton returned the favor on its own turnover with 46 seconds left in being held scoreless the rest of the way.
Garden City took advantage of the turnover turning it into a transition layup drawing within one.
A front-end miss of a one-and-one with sixteen seconds left opened the door further for the Broncbuster victory.
Following a Garden City timeout, the Cougars nearly had a pair of steals from Warrior and Harmon but the Broncbusters maintained possession. Getting the ball to Roney Lewis, the 5'10" sophomore plowed over the 6'0" Holden in the lane for a pivotal block/charge decision while heaving up the off-balance 13-footer. The call went against the Cougars and Lewis' toss-up found the net putting the Broncbusters ahead before completing the And-1 on the charity throw for the two point lead.
Going the length of the floor for the final 6.3 ticks on the clock, Holden's drive to the hole came up empty in crashing to the floor as the runner hung on and trickled off the rim at the buzzer.