EL DORADO — The NJCAA Region VI Basketball Tournament opening-round game between the Barton Community College men’s basketball team and Butler went down to the wire.
In spite of everything that went on before, Barton was in position to take the lead with less than 10 seconds, but a couple of fouls held the Cougar back as they fell 63-59 to end their season.
Barton tied things at 46-all with 9:07 remaining in the game, but Butler was in the driver’s seat heading into the final minutes.
Gibson hit a pair of free throws to draw the Cougars within two points at 61-59 with 38 seconds left.
On the other end, Butler’s Bakari Triggs missed both of his free throws with 26 seconds remaining.
Gibson drove to the basket, but decided against a shot, kicking a pass out to Trey Unrau on the left wing.
Unrau’s 3-point shot dropped in with less than seven seconds remaining, but the shot didn’t count.
Gibson, who finished with 14 points, was called for an offensive foul, giving the ball back to the Grizzlies.
Before Butler could inbound the ball, the Cougars received a technical foul call. The Grizzlies made both of those free throws to go up 63-59.
Tyler Corley finished with a team-leading 21 points, making 9 of 10 free throws.

                        — Kevin Price

JUNIOR COLLEGE BASKETBALL
NJCAA Region VI Tournament

MEN

Saturday

At El Dorado

Butler 63, Barton 59
BARTON (20-11)
     Tyler Corley 5-14 9-10 21, Darius Gibson 5-8 4-5 14, Deriece Parks 3-8 1-2 8, DJ Johnson 3-3 1-2 7, Rashawn Walker 2-2 1-2 5, Raheem Johnson 2-4 0-0 4, Tyler Chambers 0-0 0-0 0, Travell Robinson 0-1 0-0 0, Isaac Williams 0-1 0-0 0, Christian Smith 0-0 0-0 0, Trey Unrau 0-3 0-0 0. Totals 20-44 16-21 59.
BUTLER (22-9)
     Shomari Triggs 6-12 11-12 25, Dominique O’Conner 4-6 0-2 11, Larry Fitzgerald 4-7 0-1 10, Bakari Triggs 3-12 0-2 9, Sean Goodwin 2-4 1-6 5, Trent Richardson 1-3 1-2 3, Zach Schraeder 0-1 0-2 0, Lamar Wofford-Humphr 0-1 0-0 0, Ernest Burton 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 20-47 13-27 63.
     Halftime — Butler 33, Barton 26. Three-point goals — Barton 3-17 (Corley 2-8, Parks 1-5, Robinson 0-1, Williams 0-1, Unrau 0-2); Butler 10-18 (Triggs 3-5, O’Conner 3-4, Fitzgerald 2-4, Triggs 2-4, Burton 0-1). Fouled out — Barton (R. Johnson, Gibson), Butler (None). Rebounds — Barton 34 (Parks 8); Butler 27 (Goodwin 8). Assists — Barton 9 (Gibson 5), Butler 10 (Triggs 5). Total fouls — Barton 23, Butler 15. Turnovers — Barton 10; Butler 8.