HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Join Rusty Hilst and HC Steve Eck for final thoughts after an impressive win over Butler.

[ By STEVE CARPENTER ]

[ HCC SPORTS INFORMATION ]

Photo courtesy of Joel Powers, HCC Sports Information

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The Hutchinson Community College men’s basketball team did something against the Butler Grizzlies on Wednesday night at the Sports Arena that it hadn’t done since 1979 – reach the century mark on the scoreboard.

The No. 2-ranked Blue Dragons shot better than 54 percent and placed five players in double figures in an impressive 109-82 Jayhawk Conference victory at the Sports Arena.

The Blue Dragons improve to 12-0 overall and maintain their first-place standing in the Jayhawk Conference at 8-0 heading into Saturday’s road trip to Barton in Great Bend. The Grizzlies fall to 7-4 overall and 4-4 in the conference.

Hutchinson hadn’t reached the 100-point mark against the rival Grizzlies dating back to a 109-60 win in 1979. That was a span of 82 games in the series that played its 185th game all-time.

The 109 points scored by the Dragons tied for the most points scored ever against the Grizzlies and it marks the second-straight game that Hutch scored at least 100 points in back-to-back Jayhawk Conference games. That’s only happened six times in Blue Dragons history and the first since 2015 against Pratt and Colby.

Freshman J.J. Rhymes scored a game-high 19 points with five rebounds and three assists to lead Hutchinson. Rhymes was 7 of 9 from the free-throw line.

Sophomore Samajae Haynes-Jones and freshman Devonte Bandoo scored 17 points each. Haynes-Jones added five rebounds, five assists and four steals. Bandoo chipped in seven rebounds and three assists.

Sophomore Shakur Juiston had 12 points, seven rebounds and five blocked shots. Sophomore James Conley had 10 points, while sophomore Nikola Scekic added eight points and seven rebounds.

The Blue Dragons shot 43 of 79 from the field (54.4 percent), hitting 4 of 11 from 3-point range and 19 of 28 from the free-throw line. The Dragons owned a 48-34 rebounding advantage and had 13 turnovers.

The Grizzlies shot 39.7 percent from the floor (29 of 73), going 9 of 28 from the 3-point line and 15 of 21 from the foul line. Butler committed 20 turnovers.

Johnnathan Lindsey had 17 points, while Semej Hervey and Wil Adler added 11 points each.

The Blue Dragons went through a cold spell early in the game and saw a six-point lead at 9-3 flip to a 14-11 deficit with 13:26 remaining in the first half. After a 30-second timeout, the Dragons immediately went on a 16-2 run over the next 5 minutes, 18 seconds to take charge. Kai Mitchell’s bucket with 8:08 left gave Hutch a 27-16 lead.

After a LaJuan Hardy 3-pointer with 4:03 left in the half, cut the Dragon lead to 42-13, Hutch surged again with a 12-2 run and the lead climbed to 21 for the first time after Haynes-Jones completed a four-point play – Tiylar Cotton also had a four-point play earlier in the first half – to give Hutch a 54-33 lead with 1:35 remaining in the half.

The Dragons shot 20 of 38 from the field and forced nine Butler turnovers for 15 points in building a 56-36 lead at halftime.

The Blue Dragons kicked it into high gear early in the second half. Leading 68-46 with 15:14 remaining, the Dragons exploded with a 21-4 run over the next 5:53 and led 89-50 after a Haynes-Jones layup with 9:29 to go. The lead reached as high as 41 points at 95-54.

Hutchinson shot even better in the second half at 56.1 percent.

[ By STEVE CARPENTER ]

[ HCC SPORTS INFORMATION ]

Photo courtesy of Joel Powers, HCC Sports Information

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The No. 10 Hutchinson Community College women’s basketball team evened its record against nationally ranked opponents on Wednesday with a 74-59 Jayhawk Conference victory over No. 21 Butler on Wednesday night.

The Blue Dragons’ conference-leading defense held the No. 3 offense to one of its first performances of the season, holding the Grizzlies to 34.8 percent shooting and 23 points under its scoring average.

Hutchinson improves to 9-1 overall and 7-1 in the Jayhawk Conference. HCC travels to Barton at 5:30 p.m. on Saturday in Great Bend. Butler falls to 8-3 and 6-3.

Sophomore Kirea Rogers posted her second double-double of the season with a season-high 21 points and 10 rebounds. Rogers perfect on a career-high 13 free-throw attempts, which ties for the 10th most free throws by a Blue Dragon in a single game in team history.

Rogers scored 15 points in the opening half as Hutchinson shot 54.5 percent and led 42-33 at halftime.

Redshirt freshman Brenna McClure provided a spark off the bench with a season-high 18 points, knocking down a season’s-best three 3-pointers and going 5 of 5 from the free-throw line. McClure added five assists.

Sophomore Lakin Preisner also came up with some key plays in scoring 12 points with five rebounds and a career-high six steals.

The Blue Dragons shot 47.8 percent overall (22 of 46), hitting 5 of 15 from 3-point range. Hutch out-rebounded Butler 33-27, but had to overcome 21 turnovers.

Defensively, Hutchinson held the Grizzlies to 16 of 46 overall shooting and 2 of 11 from 3-point range. Butler turned the ball over 22 times.

Dakota Vann led the Grizzlies with 14 points. Nakylia Carter had 10 points.

There were a combined 55 fouls and 67 attempted free throws in the game. The Blue Dragons were 25 of 35 and the Grizzlies were 25 of 32.

Hutchinson’s first seven points of the game all came from the free-throw line, six from Rogers. The Dragons didn’t get a field goal until a Preisner layup with 6:49 to play in the period. With the game tied at 6, the Blue Dragons went on a 19-5 run to end the quarter, hitting 7 of 10 shots from the floor to lead 25-11 after the first 10 minutes. Hutch led 15-11 and scored the final 10 points of the quarter in the last 1 minute, 12 seconds of the period to open that lead.

The first 4 minutes, 7 seconds of the second quarter belonged to the Grizzlies. The Dragons didn’t hit a shot for the first 5:59 of the period and when Vann nailed a 3-pointer with 5:53 to play, the Hutch lead had dwindled to 27-24. Four-straight points from Rogers and then back-to-back 3-poiners from McClure and Taylor Stahly were the opening points of what turned out to be a 15-3 Blue Dragon run. Rogers’ layup with 1:48 to go in the quarter gave Hutch a 42-27 lead. Butler scored the final six points of the quarter to cut the Dragon lead to 44-33 at halftime.

The first four points of the third quarter went to Butler, which cut the Dragon lead to 42-37 with 8:35 remaining. Doing most of the damage from the free-throw line, the Dragons scored 8 of the next 10 points to lead 40-39 with 5:01 left. Butler went without a field goal for the final 6:46 of the period and Hutch scored the final six points of the third to lead 60-46 heading to the fourth quarter.

The Blue Dragons’ defense limited Butler to 28.6 percent shooting in the second half. The Dragons pushed their lead to a game-high 17 at 69-52 after a Stahly layup with 5:50 left. Butler answered six-straight points, but McClure’s third 3-pointer of the game with 2:56 left was the final straw in Hutchinson’s seventh-consecutive victory of the season.

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Join Rusty Hilst and HC Steve Eck with insight into the Dragon’s win over No. 25 Garden City.

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — J.J. Rhymes led all Blue Dragons with 20 points. He was one of five Dragons to score in double digits.

Shakur Juiston dropped 12 and pulled down 7 rebounds. He continued to spread the love with 6 assists.

Papi Conley scored 19 and grabbed 5 rebounds, while Devonte Bandoo and Kai Mitchell came off the bench to score 17 and 15, respectively.

No. 25 Garden City (8-3, 4-3) had the lead a couple of times early in a game that featured six lead changes.

The game stopped being close after the first media timeout.

No. 6 HCC (11-0, 7-0) remained perfect after leading 50-36 at the break.

The Blue Dragons added to that lead in the second half and finished with 29 assists on 48 made baskets.

Josh Fleming was hot early for the Broncbusters, but he cooled off in the second half and finished with 18 points.

FINAL: HCC 116 Garden City 75

The Blue Dragons are home Wednesday against Butler.

5 Dragon women finish in double-digit scoring in lopsided victory

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Kirea Rogers dropped 19 points on 6-of-7 shooting with 7-of-10 from the FT line.

She also pulled in 7 rebounds.

Brenna McClure continued to dazzle with 6 points, 3 rebounds, 6 assists and 3 steals. She nearly stole the ball more, but had the sideline hinder her ability to finish the swipe on multiple occasions.

Inja Butina broke out with 11 points and 7 assists, while Taylor Stahly dropped 13.

Alicia Brown came off the bench to add 10 and Bride Kennedy-Hopoate shot 4-of-6 to finish with 12.

Three Broncbusters scored in double digits, led by Monica Barefield, who had 17.

The Blue Dragons compiled 21 assists on 29 made baskets.

The Broncbusters fall to (5-5, 3-4) while No. 9 HCC improves to (7-1, 5-1).

FINAL: HCC 85 Garden City 54

HCC is home once again on Wednesday to face Butler.

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Eastern Arizona and Butler battled late into the Salt City Bowl before a winner was decided.

Butler built a 14-point lead twice, but could never completely put Eastern Arizona away.

The Gila Monsters scored with 1:23 left and trailed the Grizzlies by one.

Eastern Arizona lined up for a two-point conversion, but then called a timeout.

Eastern Arizona left open the possibility that it could return to the field and tie the game with an extra point. However, Gila Monster kicker Patrick LeCoore already had one XP blocked on the rainy afternoon.

Eastern Arizona returned to the field with Jonathan Thomas at QB. He took the snap and bullied his way into the end zone.

Thomas finished the day with 134 yards rushing and 38 yards through the air. He scored 2 TDs on the ground and was named the Salt City Bowl’s offensive MVP.

Butler opened up scoring on the afternoon with a Luke Winter 35-yard FG. He had two other attempts that were not so successful.

Eastern Arizona tied the game in the first quarter on a LeCoore 23-yard FG.

Andrew Hardrick found the end zone for Eastern Arizona early in the second quarter from two yards out to give the Gila Monsters the lead.

LeCoore’s XP was blocked.

The lead was short lived as Butler sent in a new QB.

Easton Bruere started the game but went 1-for-6 early. David Isreal, the starter for most of the season, entered the game and completed a 56-yard pass for a TD immediately.

Butler’s Winter knocked in the XP to give the Grizzlies a 10-9 advantage.

Isreal threw another TD nine minutes later to Luke Vang. This one came ftom 14 yards away.

Andrew Hardrick put the Gila Monsters on the board again with a 1-yard run :45 before halftime.

That tied the score after a Jonathan Thomas two-point conversion, but David Isreal had just enough time to score on a lateral to C.J. Sims that was passed back to Isreal for a 13-yard score.

Butler took a 24-17 advantage into the locker room.

Butler stayed hot on a Kevon Abrams 7-yard run to open up the third quarter.

Jonathan Thomas scored on the ground from 23 yards out to cut the Grizzly advantage.

David Isreal found the end zone once again on a 1-yard dive with :23 left in the third.

From there, Eastern Arizona used the fourth quarter to complete the comeback.

Kevon Abrams lost the ball on a nice carry up the gut.

Justin Ewen swiped the ball off the ground and returned it 25 yards for the scoop-six.

With 1:23 left, Jonathan Thomas willed his way into the end zone and then scored the two-point conversion to win the game for Eastern Arizona.

FINAL: Eastern Arizona 39 Butler 38

David Isreal finished with 246 yards passing and 2 TDs. He also ran the ball for 19 yards and a TD, plus caught a TD pass.

Sean Bernard played solid defense and racked up 21 tackles. He also blocked a FG and forced a fumble to be named the bowl’s MVP.

COLBY, Kan. — Join HC Steve Eck and Daren Dunn after No. 6 HCC improved to 10-0 on the season and 6-0 in conference play after a road trip to Colby.

Shakur Juiston notched another double-double with 15 points and 15 rebounds. His 15 rebounds tie a career high.