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Barton drops opening Jayhawk Conference tilt to Garden City
Barton drops opening Jayhawk Conference tilt to Garden City
Da'Antrey Hughes goes up for a dunk during Barton's Jayhawk opener against Garden City Wednesday night at the Barton Gym. The Cougars, who moved up to No. 12 in latest NJCAA poll, lost for the first time this year, 82-74 to Garden. - photo by COURTESY PHOTO

After vaulting to No. 12 in the NJCAA polls, the Barton men’s basketball team played the first of a grueling 24-game Jayhawk Conference slate.

The result was not what the Cougars wanted to start that long, tough stretch.

Garden City, also unbeaten heading into Jayhawk play, came to the Barton Gym and handed the Cougars their first loss of the season. Garden defeated Barton, 82-74.

The Cougars are now 6-1 overall but 0-1 in the Jayhawk. Garden is still perfect at 7-0 and 1-0.

Barton and Garden traded the lead late in the first half and through the early portions of the second half. A 6-2 run by Barton gave the Cougars their final lead midway through the second half.

Myles Thompson started the run with a bucket to give Barton a 48-47 lead. De’Antray Hughes added a dunk to make it 50-47 and when Josh Jordan buried a jumper with 12:01 to play, Barton had a 52-49 lead.

That would be the final time Barton led.

Garden’s Tone Hunter would tie it at 52-all with a 3-pointer to spark an 8-1 run to put the Broncbusters up 57-53.

It would be the 12th and final lead change of the night.

The lead grew to 61-55 and stayed around the 6-point mark until another mini surge by the Broncbusters made it a 72-63 game with 1:23 left.

Barton had it down to six a couple times in the final minute, but could get no closer.

Hughes led Barton with 18 points and 13 rebounds to record his first double-double. Cougar Downing added 14 points and Thompson finished with 13.

Barton shot just 36 percent from the field and made just 5-of-28 3-pointers.

Garden had two players with huge nights, as Hunter finished with 30 points and Josh Nwankwo 26.

Barton is off this weekend as each team has a bye date each time out with 13 conference teams.

The Cougars will be back in action Tuesday when they make the trek to Arkansas City to take on Cowley in a 7:30 pm tip.


Garden City 82, Barton 74

Garden 34  48 - 82

Barton 33  41 - 74

Garden 7-0, 1-0 (82)

Nwankwo 6-10 12-16, 26, Bligen 1-5 2-2 4, Hunter 10-25 7-8 30, Dosen 1-6 0-0 2, Diarra 2-3 0-0 4, Lewis 3-5 1-1 7, Williams 0-0 0-0 0, Taylor 0-0 1-2 1, Octave 1-6 0-0 2, Lual 3-4 0-0 6. Totals - 27-64 23-29 82.

Barton 6-1, 0-1 (74)

Downing 6-17 2-2 16, Saar 1-8 0-0 3, Bates 1-4 0-0 2, Hughes 6-12 6-10 18, Kipruto 4-6 0-1 8, Rolfs 0-0 0-0 0, Locandro 1-4 1-2 4, Thompson 4-9 5-6 13, Robinson 1-7 0-0 2, Jordan 2-5 2-2 7, Sanogo 0-1 1-4 1. Totals - 26-73 17-27 74.

3-pointers -- Garden 5-21 (Hunter 3-8, Nnwankwo 2-6, Lewis 0-2, Octave 0-2, Dosen 0-3); Barton 5-28 (Downing 2-10, Locandro 1-1, Jordan 1-2, Saar 1-8, Bates 0-1, Thompson 0-1, Robinson 0-5).

Rebounds - Garden 39 (Octave 8), Barton 52 (Hughes 13); Assists - Garden 8 (Hunter 2, Lual 2), Barton 12 (Saar 4). Steals - Garden 6 (Nwankwo 2, Lual 2), Barton 6 (Downing 2, Bates 2). Blocks - 7 (Octave 3), Barton 2 (Downing, Thompson).

Turnovers - Garden 13, Barton 18. Fouled out - Lual, Garden. Technicals - Diarra, Garden; Sanogo, Barton.