[ By STEVE CARPENTER ]
[ HCC SPORTS INFORMATION ]
Photo courtesy of Jesse Brothers, HCC Sports Information
HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Brenna McClure was tired of watching from the bench last season.
The Hutchinson Community College redshirt freshman from Lyons had to sit out the Blue Dragons’ 2015-16 Jayhawk Conference championship season because of an injury. Wednesday’s 2016-17 Opening Night against the Tabor College Junior Varsity was McClure’s first opportunity to play in a real game for the first time in 18 months.
McClure made her first game as a Blue Dragon memorable.
The Blue Dragon guard broke the Blue Dragon women’s basketball single-game record for steals with 11 and nearly posted a triple-double in No. 9 Hutchinson’s 107-40 victory over the Lady Jays. The Blue Dragons won their 16th of the last 17 season openers.
McClure finished the game with nine points, eight assists and a record 11 steals, topping teammate Inja Butina’s mark she set last season. McClure was 3 of 6 shooting with one 3-point goal.
The 107 points scored was the fifth most in Blue Dragon history. The Blue Dragons shot 60 percent or better for the fifth time in team history shooting 60.9 percent, the fifth-best on that stat list. The Dragons totaled 25 steals, which tied for the fourth most in a game.
Six players scored in double figures and all 12 Blue Dragons to suit up scored.
Freshman Alicia Brown had her own impressive Blue Dragon debut with a game-high 15 points on 7 of 8 shooting with four steals.
Sophomore Lakin Preisner hit three 3-point goals and shot 5 of 6 overall to finish with 14 points. Sophomore Taylor Stahly knocked down three treys and had 13 points. Freshman Kayla Barber came off the bench to score 12. Sophomores Shayla DeGarmo and Bride Kennedy-Hopoate had 11 points each.
McClure and Butina had eight assists each. This was Butina’s 13th career game of eight or more assists.
Hutchinson shot 42 of 69 overall from the field, knocking down 9 of 16 from 3-point range and 14 of 26 from the free-throw line. The Blue Dragons out-rebounded Tabor 43-22. Kennedy-Hopoate had a team-high seven rebounds.
After a good start – the Lady Jays led 10-8 and trailed only 15-13 with 1:50 to play in the period – Tabor finished the game shooting 13 of 43, 7 of 37 over the final three quarters. The Lady Jays were 2 of 13 from 3-point range and 12 of 19 from the foul line. Hutchinson forced 34 turnovers that led to 42 Blue Dragon points.
Sierra Sanchez had 10 points and six rebounds to lead Tabor.
Leading 23-17 just 47 seconds into the second quarter, Brown’s field goal with 8:48 in the period sparked a decisive 31-1 run. Kirea Rogers scored with 1:28 to play in the quarter to cap the run and Hutch led at that point 54-18.
Hutchinson outscored Tabor 36-7 in the second quarter. The Dragons hit 15 of 20 shots in the period. Over the middle two quarters, Hutch owned a 66-18 advantage, making 26 of 35 (74.3 percent) over those two quarters.
The Blue Dragons will be off until Tuesday when Lamar Community College comes to the Sports Arena for a 5:30 p.m. game.