It took one game, the season opener, for the Barton Community College Cougars to show their aggressive side.
It's something Craig Fletchall, embarking on his eighth season as Barton's men's head coach, made a concerted effort in enhancing after they finished 26-7 last season despite not having a tough-guy mentality, especially with its post players.
"There's no question," Fletchall said. "I think it was a weakness for us in the postseason and we've been practicing and preaching it."
Against Fort Scott in the season-opening Barton Highland Hotel/Pizza Hut Classic on Friday evening, the Cougars didn't blink in building a 40-23 halftime lead en route to an easy 84-62 victory over the Greyhounds at Kirkman Activity Center.
Cougars freshman post players Dominique Wilson and Raheem Johnson got physical and dominated Fort Scott in the paint, and sophomore guards Andell Cumberbatch, Turon Parker and Al Key did the same on the perimeter. One can also depend on bruising freshman forward Raphael Stephens to get up in an opposing player's grill on the defensive end of the floor.
"They guys are tired of banging up on each other in practice every day and it was one to come together," Fletchall said. "I was pleased. I thought Fort Scott fought back in the second half and made some baskets, but I was pleased with our defensive intensity, no question."
Barton had five players in double figures, led by Cumberbatch with 17 points. Key scored 13 points, Wilson and Parker added 12 apiece and Johnson had 11, including a pair of rim-rattling dunks.
Barton, which never trailed, converted 13 of 16 free throws (81.3 percent) to offset only 1-for-11 3-point shooting (9.1 percent) in building its 17-point halftime lead. It finished the night 21 for 32 at the foul line and missed all but three of its 17 3s, though it hardly mattered.
These Cougars have a rough edge about them, according to Fletchall, something that could bode well as the season progresses.
"Early in the season, the games are going to be a little rough and a little awkward," Fletchall said. "I just think our guys adjusted and we got to line. I thought our length bothered them a little bit because our guards were bigger.
"Any time you return three guards that played a lot of minutes last season against a young squad like Fort Scott, we were able to get our hands on some passes … this is a fun group to coach and a fun team to watch."
Johnson had a team-high eight rebounds and De'Ontae Hooks added seven boards. Cumberbatch had six steals, and Wilson converted 8 of 9 free throws.
Key, an NJCAA third-team All-America selection last season, had two early fouls and finished with only four first-half points after sitting the final 9:12 of the half. But the Jayhawk West Freshman of the Year, who had offseason rotator-cuff shoulder surgery, heated up with nine second-half points, helping his team record several transition baskets.
JUNIOR COLLEGE
BASKETBALL
Highland Hotel & Pizza Hut Classic
At Great Bend
Barton Community College
Friday
Barton 84, Fort Scott 62
FORT SCOTT (0-1)
Gary Floyd 2-7 0-0 5, James Fleming 4-6 1-2 9, Kevin House 3-4 4-7 10, Prince Samuels 2-9 1-2 6, Raymond Chase 6-8 1-2 13, Chekeil Wright 1-3 0-0 3, Tyler Adams 2-6 0-0 4, Austin Danner 4-6 0-0 10, Devin McBride 0-0 0-0 0, Jason Stoneking 0-0 0-0 0, Elijah Lamb 1-3 0-0 2, CJ Hall 0-4 0-0 0. Totals 25-56 7-13 62.
BARTON (1-0)
Turon Parker 5-10 0-0 12, Andell Cumberbatch 5-10 6-9 16, Algie Key 5-14 3-4 13, Raheem Johnson 5-10 1-2 11, Rapheal Stephens 3-5 1-3 7, Trey Unrau 0-3 1-2 1, Shaka Thomas 1-3 0-0 2, Andy Wiechman 1-1 0-0 2, De'Ontae Hooks 2-4 0-0 5, Travell Robinson 0-1 1-3 1, Dominique Wilson 3-6 8-9 14. Totals 30-67 21-32 84.
Halftime — Barton 40, Fort Scott 23. Three-point goals — Barton 3-17 (Parker 2-4, Hooks 1-3, Unrau 0-3, Thomas 0-2, Key 0-2, Cumberbatch 0-2, Robinson 0-1).
