CHANUTE — After winning their first 13 games, the Barton Community College Cougars suffered their first loss of the season on Wednesday evening.
Paris (Texas) Junior College upended the ninth-ranked Cougars 78-75 in overtime during the Sonic Shootout at Neosho County.
Paris guard Anthony Adams provided the difference, scoring nine of the Dragons’ 10 points during the five-minute overtime period after the game was tied at 68 at the end of regulation.
Adams was 8-for-12 from the field and finished with 19 points. Antonio Arnold nailed four of his five 3-pointers after halftime and totaled 20 points to lead Paris.
Guards Al Key and Turon Parker led Barton (13-1) with 17 points apiece. Key also had a team-best 10 rebounds to finish with a double-double. Dominique Wilson added 12 points and Andell Cumberbatch scored 10.
Barton, which trailed 36-35 at halftime, made a serious run at Paris after the Dragons built a 53-45 lead in the second half. The Cougars, sparked by back-to-back baskets by Wilson, a Raheem Johnson bucket and a finger roll by Key, went on a 15-8 blitz. They pulled within 61-60 with 7:17 left in regulation on Parker’s 3-ball.
A free throw by Arnold and a basket inside by Morris Mitchell gave Paris a 64-60 lead at the 6:28 mark.
Parker answered with a basket and Wilson again scored back-to-back buckets for a 66-65 Barton edge after a Paris free throw. Key’s basket, with 1:52 remaining, built the Cougars’ lead to 68-65.
Those were their last points of regulation.
Wilson fouled Mike Harmon in the act of shooting a 3 with 30 seconds remaining, sending the Paris guard to the line for a trio of free throws. Harmon sank all three, knotting the score at 68.
The Cougars had one final chance, but Key’s shot was blocked by Adams as time expired, sending the game into overtime.
In OT, Wilson tied the game at 70 on a basket and then made 1 of 2 free throws for a 71-70 Barton edge at the 2:35 mark. Cumberbatch converted a pair of free throws with 1:56 remaining to give the Cougars their last lead at 73-72.
Adams regained the lead for Paris, 74-73, on a basket with 1:11 remaining. He later made 1 of 2 foul shots for a 75-73 advantage and sank two more with 10 seconds left for a 77-73 lead.
Key hit a driving layup with six seconds left to make it a two-point game, and then Key fouled Chris Jones after the ball was inbounded with five seconds left. Jones made the first free throw for a 78-75 lead but missed the second, and Key grabbed the rebound and advanced the ball to guard Kevin Kuteyi, whose last-second 3 was offline at the buzzer.
During first-half action, Kuteyi popped in a 3-pointer at the halftime buzzer to pull the Cougars within one at intermission.
GAME NOTES — University of Kansas assistant basketball coach Norm Roberts was in attendance for Wednesday’s game between Barton and Paris, recruiting Key. ... The Cougars open Kansas Jayhawk Community College Conference Western Division play against two-time defending West champion Seward in Liberal on Saturday night at 8. … The Lady Cougars’ opener with Seward tips off at 6.
— Mack McClure
JUNIOR COLLEGE BASKETBALL
MEN
At Chanute
Wednesday
Paris Junior College 78,
No. 9 Barton 75, OT
BARTON (13-1)
Trey Unrau 0-1 0-0 0, Kevin Kuteyi 3-8 0-0 8, Turon Parker 6-13 3-4 17, Andell Cumberbatch 4-9 2-2 10, Algie Key 8-17 1-3 17, Raheem Johnson 2-3 5-7 9, Rapheal Stephens 1-2 0-0 2, Dominique Wilson 5-13 2-4 12. Totals 29-66 13-20 75.
PARIS
Antonio Arnold 7-11 1-2 20, Mike Harmon 2-8 3-3 9, Anthony Adams 8-15 3-4 19, Chris Jones 3-5 5-9 11, Delvin Dickerson 1-5 0-0 2, Marcus Holt 1-2 2-2 4, Morris Mitchell 4-6 1-1 9, Will Ranson 2-4 0-0 4. Totals 28-61 15-21 78.
Halftime — Paris 36, Barton 35. Three-point goals — Barton 4-14 (Kuteyi 2-5, Parker 2-5, Key 0-2, Cumberbatch 0-1, Unrau 0-1); Paris 7-24 (Arnold 5-11, Harmon 2-7, Adams 0-3, Dickerson 0-3). Rebounds — Barton 19 (Stephens 5); Paris 39 (Ranson 7). Assists — Barton 12 (Parker 4); Paris 19 (Jones 8). Turnovers — Paris 15; Barton 9. Total fouls — Barton 19; Paris 14.
