A must-win situation just three games into the Kansas Jayhawk Community College Conference Western Division?
It was for the Barton Cougars, who entered Wednesday night's game with Garden City at Kirkman Activity Center with an 0-2 West record.
"It was a must-win," said Barton freshman guard Algie Key, who scored a team-high 21 points for the Cougars, one of five players in double figures during an 82-72 win over Garden City. "We didn't want to fall to 0-3.
"That's a tough road to come back."
The Cougars, who dropped from No. 7 to No. 15 in the latest NJCAA Division-I rankings after losing to Seward County and Dodge City in the previous week, used a feverish pace to build a 46-39 halftime lead.
Then the Cougars answered every rush the Broncbusters mustered after halftime in improving to 15-2 overall, 1-2 in the KJCCC West.
Garden City (13-4, 1-2) was led by Geron Johnson, who totaled 19 points before fouling out.
Short-handed Barton had only 10 players in uniform. Sophomore power forward Dwayne Brunson was serving a mandatory one-game suspension after being ejected in the Cougars’ most recent game on Saturday, a loss at Dodge City, and sophomore swingman Jalen Boyd quit the team.
"We had some people out of the lineup, but we had to step up," Key said.
On this night it was quality, not quantity, for the Cougars, who built their seven-point halftime lead behind the three-pronged scoring attack of sophomore forward Darius Hill, sophomore swingman Carl Wallace and Key.
Hill, a native of Kansas City, Kan., scored 12 of his 17 points in the first half and finished 7 for 10 at the foul line after missing his final three. He made 5 of 6 field goals in the game.
Wallace, a Philadelphia, Pa., product, added 15 points, seven assists, six rebounds and five steals as he helped set the tone in the first half by helping instigate Barton’s transition game.
"The best compliments we get are from opposing coaches," Barton head coach Craig Fletchall said. "I remember Brown Mackie's coach saying that Carl makes us go.
"His energy and his desire is really big for us."
Andell Cumberbatch added 12 points, and freshman Kurt Walker, a Topeka Hayden product, came off the bench and bolstered the Cougars' perimeter game by knocking down 3 of 4 3-pointers and finishing with 11 points.
Barton led 24-20 at the midpoint of the first half before Hill started making an impact. Hill converted a pair of free throws at the 9:41 mark, the start of a 10-4 surge for a 34-24 edge with eight minutes remaining before halftime.
Highlighting the run was Cougars guard Turon Parker making a steal and a layup, Hill scored off a putback, Hill scored off a Wallace feed and then Wallace made a steal after the ball was inbounded and streaked to the basket for a slam dunk and a 10-point lead.
In the first half, Barton shot 50 percent from the floor (18 for 36) and distributed 11 assists, including six by Wallace. Garden City finished at 46.7 percent (14 for 30), despite missing nine of 12 3s.
Barton travels to El Dorado on Saturday to take on Butler. The women's game precedes the men's game at 5:30 p.m.
JUNIOR COLLEGE BASKETBALL
Kansas Jayhawk Community
College Conference
Western Division
At Great Bend
Kirkman Activity Center
MEN
Wednesday
No. 15 Barton 82, Garden City 72
GARDEN CITY (13-4, 1-2)
Jarwand Rheubottom 6-12 1-2 13, Carl Porter 3-4 2-2 8, Geron Johnson 6-12 5-7 19, Chauncy Williams 4-12 0-2 11, Silas Mills 2-8 0-0 4, Xavier Carter 3-4 1-2 7, Sieven Bryant 1-3 0-2 2, Mike Barnes 0-1 4-4 4, Tate Edwards 1-8 1-2 4. Totals 26-64 14-23 72.
BARTON (15-2, 1-2)
Alndell Cumberbatch 5-13 0-3 12, Julian Rose 1-2 0-0 2, Turon Parker 1-3 0-2 2, Algie Key 6-9 9-16 21, Carl Wallace 5-11 5-8 15, Jonathon Pittman 1-5 0-0 2, Kurt Walker 3-5 2-2 11, Darius Hill 5-6 7-10 17. Totals 27-54 23-41 82.
Halftime — Barton 46, Garden City 39. Three-point goals — Barton 5-11 (Walker 3-4, Cumberbatch 2-4 Parker 0-2, Wallace 0-1); Garden City 6-25 (Williams 3-9, Johnson 2-6, Edwards 1-7, Bryant 0-2, Rheubottom 0-1). Total fouls — Garden City 29, Barton 17. Fouled out —Garden City (Johnson, Rheubottom); Barton (Parker). Rebounds — Barton Barton 41 (Hill 8, Parker 7, Key 6); Garden City 37 (Rheubottom 7). Assists — Barton 18 (Wallace 7, Pittman 4); Garden City 11 (Bryant 4, Johnson 4). Turnovers — Barton 18; Garden City 18.
