The only lingering question between Barton Community College and Pratt on Saturday night was how much the Cougars would win by.
In the final regular-season home game at Kirkman Activity Center, Barton gave its sophomore class an easy sendoff with a 78-56 drubbing of the Beavers.
It could have been a lot worse. Leading 30-16 at halftime, the Cougars reeled off a 21-2 outburst during the opening six minutes, eight seconds of the second half for a commanding 51-18 lead.
“I thought we defended and rebounded well the whole game,” Barton head coach Craig Fletchall said after his team improved its record to 23-5 overall and 10-4 in the Kansas Jayhawk Community College Conference Western Division. “I really thought we defended well in the first half, and Pratt tried to slow us down.
“That’s a team that took us to overtime (at Pratt earlier in the season before the Cougars prevailed) and I think, defensively, we’ve gotten better from a month ago.”
Barton’s win, coupled with Seward County beating Butler on Saturday night, moves the Cougars into sole possession of third place in conference play with two games remaining in the regular season. Barton travels to Colby today for a makeup game, and then heads to Cloud County on Wednesday night before coming home on Saturday night to host an NJCAA Region VI first-round playoff game.
Today’s games with Colby have been moved up two hours because of an impeding storm moving in out west. The Lady Cougars play at 3, followed by the Cougars at 5.
“I thought we had a little slippage at the end and got careless with the ball, but at any level, it’s always tough to keep increasing the spread,” Fletchall said. “I was pleased with the first half, but I felt like we had to come out with a little more fight in the second half.”
Barton increased its intensity after the break, which opened up its up-and-down game. During its decisive second-half surge, Al Key, Raphael Stephens and Andell Cumberbatch had dunks as a jam session broke out.
“It really was,” Fletchall said. “Our guys got out in transition and it was really hard because they haven’t played in 10 days.”
Barton freshman post player Raheem Johnson, who hit 10 of 11 shots and finished with a game-high 22 points, had a highlight-reel dunk in the first half that didn’t count because of a Pratt blocking foul. Key threw a lob to Johnson, who thundered in from the right side for a vicious two-handed dunk, which left Kirkman buzzing.
Cumberbatch had a double-double with 15 points and 12 rebounds, and Key narrowly missed a double-double with 13 points and nine assists.
“Coach Fletchall tells us to keep sticking it to them on the defensive side and the offense will come,” BCC point guard Turon Parker said. “We just wanted to swing the ball around and it just worked.
“Coach Fletchall and Coach (Matt) Hundley kept us focused in practice all week, and that helped us out.”
Pratt (14-14, 4-10) was led by Aaron Abram with 16 points.
JUNIOR COLLEGE BASKETBALL
Kansas Jayhawk Community
College Conference
Western Division
Saturday
At Great Bend
Kirkman Activity Center
LT & Sheila Fleske Court
Barton Community College 78, Pratt 56
PRATT (14-14, 4-10)
Aaron Abram 5-11 5-7 16, Kazmere Boyd 3-9 6-7 12, Ralph Abram 3-5 1-1 7, Javis Flynn 2-5 0-3 4, Austin Jackson 1-2 0-0 3, Sean Michaelson 1-5 0-0 3, Bryan Hellman 1-4 0-0 3, Devin Callon 1-2 0-0 2, Daylin Thomas 1-3 0-0 2, DeShun Roberts 1-7 0-2 2, Lucas Stivrins 1-2 0-0 2, Deon Taylor 0-2 0-0 0. Totals 20-57 12-20 56.
BARTON (23-5, 10-4)
Raheem Johnson 10-11 2-4 22, Andell Cumberbatch 6-17 2-2 15, Algie Key 4-7 5-8 13, Turon Parker 3-5 0-0 8, Kevin Kuteyi 1-6 2-2 5, Rapheal Stephens 2-5 0-2 4, Trey Unrau 1-4 0-0 3, Andy Wiechman 1-2 1-2 3, Shaka Thomas 1-2 0-0 3, John Goodson 1-1 0-0 2, Travell Robinson 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 30-61 12-20 78.
Halftime — Barton 30, Pratt 16. Three-point goals—Pratt 4-19 (Jackson 1-2, Hellman 1-2, Abram 1-3, Michaelson 1-4, Callon 0-1, Roberts 0-2, Abraham 0-2, Boyd 0-3); Barton 6-19 (Parker 2-3, Thomas 1-2; Unrau 1-3, Cumberbatch 1-6, Kuteyi 1-2, Robinson 0-1, Wiechman 0-1, Stephens 0-1). Rebounds — Pratt 39, (Taylor 9); Barton 39 (Cumberbatch 12, Key 5, Johnson 5, Stephens 5). Assists—Pratt 6 (DeShun Roberts 2), Barton 21 (Algie Key 9). Steals — Barton 11 (Key 3, Parker 3); Pratt 6 (Hellman 2). Turnovers — Pratt 11, Barton 9. Blocked shots — Barton 5 (Johnson 3); Pratt 1 (Stivrins). Fouled out — Pratt (Taylor); Barton (Goodson, Kuteyi). Technical foul — Pratt (Abram).
