Fresh off receiving its first No. 1 ranking since 2002, the Barton Community College men's basketball team showed no signs of settling on the accolades as the Cougars matched its season high output in a 111-91 victory at Dodge City Community College.
The Conquistadors hung the evening's first nine points on the board in two minutes but behind six players reaching double figures the Cougars outscored the hosts by twenty-nine points from there to notch its fourth straight win of the series and its 18th consecutive on the season.
Clinching at least a share of the KJCCC title for the first time since the 2008-09 season, Barton leads the league by two with two games to play at 21-1 in league and 27-1 overall. Dodge City slips to 7-16 and 9-20 following their 7th straight setback.
Barton's ambition for the outright crown continues into Saturday's "Pink-Out Night" contest hosting 15th ranked Hutchinson Community College as the Blue Dragons look to play spoiler in their own title chase a half game out of second place at 19-3 and 24-4 on the year. Tip-off time slated at 7:30 p.m. with sophomore recognition taking place prior and following the conclusion of the 5:30 p.m. Barton women taking on the top ranked Hutchinson squad.
Lajae Jones answered Dodge City's hot start with seven straight points and nine coming in the Cougars' 11-2 stretch in tying it up at 13. Jones would account for twenty of his game high 26 points in first half action including five dunks with a trio of posturizing rim benders.
The Cougars secured more than ten offensive rebounds to keep its season long streak going, compiling a plus-14 board advantage led by Jones' game high 12 in posting his 11th double-double performance of the year while dishing out three assists and another game high honor of three steals.
Reigning KJCCC Player of the Week Myles Thompson continued his strong play in scoring a career high 26 points, four consecutive points keying a 9-0 two-minute second half stretch increasing Barton's lead to thirteen with 11:52 to play. The redshirt sophomore also secured nine rebounds, five coming off the offensive glass to fall one rebound shy for the second consecutive game for his 6th double-double of the year.
Three Cougars finished at 14 points, Ring Malith putting five of his on the board within the pivotal Thompson led nine point stretch in burying one of his two arc busters on the night.
Barton held a nine-point advantage from its bench play as Keandre Kindell and Brent Moss joined Malith with 14 points as the duo continues to give the Cougars renewed life from a reserve role.
Rounding out the double figure scorers was Mozae Downing-Rivers with a season tying 11 points along with a strong floor game of 7 assists, 5 rebounds, and 2 steals.
Five Conquistadors also reached double-figures led by the 21 points from Chevalier "Ice" Emery in making 4-of-6 from behind the arc and Tyler Williams' lone trey of the year leading to a career high 20 points. Avnoor Bhullar added 14 points, Jayse Boatwright with 12 points off the bench, and Hunter Duncan adding 10 points.
Both teams shot over 50% for the evening, the Cougars jumping over their previous second best shooting night the previous time the teams met in finishing at 55.7% while Dodge City posted not only the highest total against Barton this year but also a season best 51.5% shooting.
Behind the arc Barton was 7-of-21 while Dodge City made seven in first half action (7-of-10) but finished at just 10-25 overall.
Both teams were less than desired from the stripe, the Cougars sinking just 16-of-28 (57.1%) while the hosts were slightly worse at 13-of-23 (56.5%).
RECAP
Following the hot Dodge City start of three straight treys, Jones put the Cougars on his back scoring seven straight including the first of his two triples on the evening.
Six straight produced the first tie at 13 with consecutive Thompson buckets giving Barton its first lead with 10:40 remaining at 24-22.
Battling back and forth for the next four minutes, the Cougars erased a two-point deficit with a 10-1 stretch for its largest first half lead of eight to eventually lead 49-44 at the break.
Jones's four straight followed by Downing-Rivers' short jumper out of the locker room ballooned the lead to eleven, eventually stitching to thirteen by the 17:33 mark.
Dodge City chipped away at the gap, closing to within 65-61 at the fourteen minute mark before Thompson and Malith strung the nine straight pushing the gap back out.
The Cougars would keep the margin over securely out of reach before building up a late 23-point largest lead with seventy-four ticks left.
SERIES NOTES
- Barton sweeps the season series
- Second straight and sixth Barton win of last seven meetings in Dodge City
- Barton leads the series 30-24 in Dodge City
- Barton leads the overall series 72-40
Record Book Watch
Cooper Jackson
- 182 career steals *2nd most – 137 behind Eric Bush's 319 (1999-01)
Mozae Downing-Rivers
- 336 career assists *4th most – 13 behind Brandon Hughes' 349 (1994-96)