Hitting their stride at an opportune time last season, the Barton Community College Cougars made some noise last March at the NJCAA Region VI basketball tournament.
Barton, which battled for the Kansas Jayhawk Community College Conference Western Division crown throughout, had its 26-7 season end with a 76-67 loss to Cowley. The Cougars upset No. 5-ranked Coffeyville in the quarterfinals.
“It was a nice run, obviously,” Barton head coach Craig Fletchall said, “culminated with a big quarterfinal win.
"We felt good about getting to the semis. We thought we were good enough to win the thing."
The Cougars tip off the 2012-13 season this weekend, playing host to the Barton Highland Hotel/Pizza Hut Classic at Kirkman Activity Center.
Barton opens its season against Jayhawk East foe Fort Scott at 7:30 on Friday night. Pratt plays Northwest Kansas Tech at 3:30 in the classic lid-lifter.
On Saturday evening, Barton plays Northwest Kansas Tech at 7:30, and Pratt plays Fort Scott at 3.
Behind the play of returning third-team All-America selection, guard Al Key, returning guard Turon Parker and Fort Hays State University signee Dwayne Brunson, the Cougars hit their stride.
“That last month, we finally got guys healthy. I know Al (Key) played with some shoulder stuff and having Turon (Parker) and Andell (Cumberbatch) getting better really helped us.
“It was a blueprint, and our guys kind followed it to a T. We did peak at the right time.”
While Brunson has moved on to a NCAA Division-II school, Key, Parker and Cumberbatch return in the Cougars backcourt.
Key, coming off shoulder surgery, had a banner frosh campaign, averaging 18.69 points, 6.6 rebounds and 4.9 assists while establishing himself as a first-team all-conference and all-region performer.
Parker, who came back from a knee injury in January, was a catalyst in the Cougars’ late run. Cumberbatch is a long-distance shooter who hit crucial baskets last season.
“Now, fast-forward, those kids that were freshman guards are back, but the reality of it is, instead of playing with four sophomore posts, they’re playing with four freshman posts,” Fletchall said. “It’s made for a lot of growing pains.”