Algie Key did to Labette Community College what he did to Independence the night before at the Highland Hotel-Booster Club Basketball Classic.
In a meeting of unbeaten teams, Key, a superlative freshman guard, who blitzed Indy for 28 points, poured in 23 points Saturday night as Barton held off a desperate comeback bid by Labette for an 86-78 win.
“We played well enough to win,” Barton head coach Craig Fletchall said. “It wasn’t pretty and we were at home, which helped us.
“I’ve got a lot of respect for (Labette head coach Jonathan) Raney and what they’ve done. They didn’t quit and they’ve fought through some injuries. They’re a team that belongs in our region, no question.”
The Cougars (8-0) get back after it today at 3, taking on Frank Phillips in the classic finale.
Saturday night, Key was a load again, hitting 8 of 12 field goals and added six rebounds and four assists. His lone struggle was 7-for-13 free-throw shooting on the night.
“Algie is going to be as consistent as ever,” Fletchall said. “You saw how our team played when he had two fouls in the first half.
“We had guys stop attacking and we only had five free throws in the first half because we didn’t have him on the floor. With him out there in the second half, we were a different team and he never came off the floor and I’m going to play that kid until he drops.”
Barton sophomore guard Jalen Boyd scored 14 of his 19 points in the opening half, where the Cougars built a 44-34 halftime lead despite missing nine of 11 3-pointers during that stretch.
Boyd hit consective 3s during a 10-5 run as the Cougars moved out to a 35-23 advantage.
“I thought the two 3s were big in the first half,” Fletchall said. “It gave him some confidence. He’s the same player, same kid, the same hard worker, but he hasn’t shot the ball and it happens.
“He got a couple shots, got some boards and I thought he played well.”
In the second half, Boyd’s layup off an LCC turnover expanded the margin to 48-34 with 16:36 left, prompting the Cards to call a timeout.
Shortly thereafter, a 7-3 run, featuring baskets by Dwayne Brunson, Key and a three-point play by Julian Rose, made it 55-37 Cougars.
Labette would close within 10 points in the final minutes, although it didn’t get any closer than 85-78 with 23.9 seconds left.
Darius Hill added 14 points and Brunson, who did not dress out for Friday’s game with Indy, had nine points and a team-high 11 rebounds in 23 minutes of action.
Labette’s Vic Adams, who beat Frank Phillips on a buzzer-beating layup on Friday night, was injured underneath the Cardinals basket late in the second half. He lay on the floor for several minutes before being helped from the court.
Labette (6-1) was led by Dre Conner with 27 points.
In the Frank Phillips-Independence game, the third game of the day, Frank Phillips outscored the Pirates 19-14 in overtime for an 87-82 win.
This happened after a late surge by Indy sent the game into an extra session after it tied it at 68 at the end of regulation.
Greg Nelson led Frank Phillips (3-3) with 23 points and James Boonstoppel added 17.
Indy (3-4) was led by Christian Huffman’s double-double — 23 points and 10 rebounds — and Rodney Givens added 20 points. Joining them in double figures was Bruce Adams (14 points) and Anthony Rule (10).

JUNIOR COLLEGE BASKETBALL
 
Highland Hotel-Booster Club
Basketball Classic
 
At Great Bend
Kirkman Activity Center
Saturday
 
MEN
 
Barton Community College 86,
Labette 78
 
LABETTE (6-1)
     Dre Conner 7-15 10-13 27 Mark Hatchett 0-1 0-0 0, Terrance Lafayette 6-10 0-1 13, Wendell Lee 5-18 1-2 13, Vincent Cornu 0-4 1-4 1, Vic Adams 6-13 1-2 17, Terry Webb 2-9 1-3 5, Derrick Davis 1-2 0-0 2, Christian Hosey 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 27-72 14-25 78.
BARTON (8-0)
     Jalen Boyd 7-145 3-4 19, Algie Key 8-12 7-13 23, Dwayne Brunson 4-14 1-3 9, Carl Wallace 1-3 0-0 2, Darius Hill 7-10 0-0 14, Jonathan Pittman 2-4 0-0 4, Kurt Walker 0-1 0-0 0, Andell Cumberbatch 2-4 1-1 5, Julian Rose 3-5 1-2 7, DaVonte Grant 0-6 3-4 3. Totals 34-73 16-27 86.
     Halftime —Barton 44, Labette 34. Three-point goals —Labette 10-34 (Adams 4-9, Conner 3-8, Lee 2-10, Lafayette 1-2, Webb 0-5); Barton 2-15 (Boyd 2-4, Grant 0-4, Rose 0-2, Walker 0-1, Brunson 0-2, Key 0-2). Rebounds — Barton 56 (Brunson 11, Rose 7); Labette 41 (Cornu 7). Assists — Barton 20 (Key 4, Wallace 4); Labette 11 (Conner 7). Steals — Labette 6, Barton 3. Turnovers — Barton 16, Labette 14.