[ By STEVE CARPENTER ]
[ HCC SPORTS INFORMATION ]
Photo courtesy of Joel Powers, HCC Sports Information
HILLSBORO, Kan. — The No. 6-ranked Hutchinson Community College men’s basketball team won its ninth consecutive season opener as the Blue Dragons broke the game open with a surge in the final 10 minutes of the first half on Tuesday night.
Five Blue Dragons scored in double figures as the Blue Dragons overcame 12 Tabor College Junior Varsity 3-pointers in a 91-63 victory over the Bluejays in Hutchinson’s first-ever game played in Hillsboro.
The victory the 197th on the Hutchinson bench for eighth-year head coach Steve Eck, who is just three wins shy of moving past Gary Bargen into second place on the Blue Dragon career coaching list.
Tied at 16-all with 11:31 to play in the first half, James Conley converted a three-point play to give the Blue Dragons the lead for good. The lead reached 10 for the first time on a J.J. Rhymes’ 3-pointer with 4:46 to play as Hutch led 34-24. Hutchinson outscored Tabor 33-17 over the final 11 1/2 minutes of the half to lead 49-33 at intermission.
Sophomore guards Conley and Samajae Haynes-Jones scored 16 points lead to lead the Blue Dragons on Tuesday night.
Conley hit 7 of 10 shots from the field. Haynes-Jones was 5 of 10 shooting, including 3 of 4 from 3-point range. He also had five rebounds.
Devonte Bandoo had a terrific Blue Dragon debut with 15 points, two assists and two steals. Rhymes finished with 12 points. Sophomore Shakur Juiston had 11 points and a game-high nine rebounds.
The Blue Dragons knocked down 36 of 79 overall shots (45.6 percent), hitting 5 of 15 from 3-point range and 14 of 19 from the free-throw line. The Blue Dragons out-rebounded the Bluejays 52-39 with 21 offensive rebounds.
Nick Lee hit 5 of 13 3-pointers to lead Tabor with a game-high 22 points. Diontre Cutliff had 12 points and seven boards.
Tabor shot 23 of 70 overall, cooling off to 27.5 percent in the second half after shooting 40 percent in the opening 20 minutes. Tabor sank 12 of 34 3-point goals and was 5 of 8 from the free throw line.
After a Juiston field goal just 48 seconds into the second half, Hutchinson led 53-33. Tabor hit four 3-point goals in the next 3 minutes and pulled within 55-47 with 16:06 left after a Lee trey. The Blue Dragons regained control with an 11-0 run over the next 3 minutes as Hutchinson built a 66-47 lead after a Haynes-Jones trey with 13:02 remaining in the second half.
The Blue Dragons will open at home on Friday night when Hutchinson faces Frank Phillips College at 7:30 p.m. at the Sports Arena. Tabor will play NEO at 5:30 p.m. at the Arena. On Saturday, Hutchinson plays NEO at 7:30 p.m. and Tabor plays Frank Phillips at 5:30 p.m. on Friday.