[ By STEVE CARPENTER ]
[ HCC SPORTS INFORMATION ]
Photo courtesy of Joel Powers, HCC Sports Information
HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Sophomore Shakur Juiston posted his 17th season double-double and tied the single-game record for rebounds for this second time this season as the No. 2-ranked Hutchinson Community College men’s basketball team pulled away late to defeat the Allen Red Devils 82-62 on Wednesday at the Sports Arena.
The Jayhawk Conference champion Blue Dragons saw a 17-point second-half lead shrink to three points before outscoring Allen 23-11 in the final 7 minutes of the game to complete the season sweep of the Red Devils and extend their current winning streak to seven games.
Hutchinson travels to Independence at 6 p.m. on Saturday for its final regular-season road game before returning home on Monday to take on Dodge City on Sophomore Night at the Sports Arena.
For the second time this season, Juiston pulled down 19 rebounds, which tied for Hutch’s single-game record. He also had 19 boards at Garden City on February 8, which tied Ken Bowman’s record 19 rebounds against Pratt in 2008. Juiston now has six games of 15 or more rebounds.
Juiston finished with a game-high 21 points and he added six assists, three blocked shots and two steals.
Devonte Bandoo came off the bench to score 18 points on 8 of 13 shooting. Bandoo chipped in four assists and two steals.
James Conley contributed 14 points with five assists. Samajae Haynes-Jones finished with 13 points, eight rebounds and three assists.
The Blue Dragons were 32 of 70 shooting (45.7 percent), although just 3 of 10 from 3-point range and 15 of 26 from the foul line. After being a minus-8 in rebounding in the first half, Hutch finished tied on the boards at 47 each. The Dragons amassed 21 assists to 12 turnovers.
Defensively, Hutchinson held Allen to 36.8 percent from the floor (28 of 76). The Devils were 3 of 15 from long range and 3 of 5 from the foul line. Allen committed 17 turnovers.
DaRon Mims finished with 17 points and 12 rebounds to lead the Devils (13-15, 11-13). E. J. Garnes had 13 points.
A J.J. Rhymes three-point play with 13:54 remaining gave Hutchinson its first lead of the game at 10-9. The Dragons were able to extend the lead to double figures for the first time at the 8:12 mark with a Juiston dunk that made it 22-11. A Juiston layup bumped the lead to 27-11 with 6:07 left.
The Red Devils closed the half on a 17-8 run to pull within 35-28 by halftime. The Dragons scored just two points in the first three minutes of the first half and Allen pulled within 37-32 with 17:41 remaining. The game was just one possession when Quentin Blaue’s layup with 11:53 left cut the Hutch lead to 47-44.
A Juiston bucket with 11:05 to go stopped that Allen run, but the Devils remained within two possessions for the next several minutes.
Leading 59-51 with 7 1/2 minutes remaining the Blue Dragons finally broke the game open as a Juiston jumper with 7:07 to play sparked a 23-11 game-ending run. The Blue Dragons shot 52.8 percent in the second half as Hutch hit 7 of its final 11 shots of the game.