The Jayhawk Conference only uses Monday’s for some spot games and makeup games as a playing date for basketball. The Barton Community College men’s basketball team might want to petition to make it a regular playing day.
For the second straight Monday, the Cougars put up big numbers in a blowout win. This time it was a 97-73 win over Seward County Community College at the Barton Gym. Last week the Cougars posted a 31-point win at Dodge City, topping the 100-point mark.
The win improved the Cougars to 3-1 in the West and 15-3 overall. Seward fell to 2-2 in conference and 9-8 overall.
The Seward game was originally slated for a Saturday conference opener but weather postponed the game until Monday. Unfortunately, barring another weather postponed, the Cougars won’t have another Monday contest until Feb. 9 when No. 4 Butler visits the Barton Gym.
In the win over Seward, Barton started to gain control of the game late in the opening half. Barton was clinging to a 24-22 lead with just more than eight minutes to play in the half when the Saints went on a dry spell.
Seward did not score for four minutes while the Cougars mounted an 8-0 run. Ahmad Walker scored five in the run capped by back-to-back buckets to give the Cougars a 32-22 lead with 4:45 to play in the half.
Barton took a 43-34 lead to intermission then exploded out of the locker room. The Cougars scored the first four points on the half in less than 30 seconds and had the lead at 18 just more than two minutes into the half. Eddie Hunt gave them a 54-36 lead on a jumper with 17:58 to play in the game.
The closest Seward would get after that would be 14 points as Barton coasted to the win.
The game ended on a sour note when an altercation took place between Seward’s Kevin Sims and Barton’s Tyron Hamby. Both players were ejected from the game as was Barton’s Hunt for coming off the bench with just more than one minute to play.
The teams will await word on suspensions but by league rule player ejected have to miss the next game. That will most likely make the already short-handed Cougars minus Hamby and Hunt for its battle with Hutchinson tonight.
Jalin Barnes continued his hot play, topping the 20-point mark for the second time in West play. He matched a career-high 25 points set at Dodge City. Walker posted his second straight double-double with a 22-point, 10-rebound effort and just missed a triple-double with nine assists.
Kenny Enoch added 13 as did Christian Smith off the Barton bench. The Cougars shot 58 percent against the West’s top ranked defense. The 97 points was the most given up by Seward this season and more than 20 over its average.
Seward was led by Jamal Poplar with 17 and Secean Johnson with 14. Sims added 11 before his ejection.
The Cougars can now turn focus to Hutchinson tonight. The Blue Dragons are 1-2 in the West and 14-3 overall after a second straight home loss Monday night to Dodge City, 86-82. The Blue Dragons are still ranked in the Top 25.
The game will be “White Out” night with fans encouraged to wear white in support of local cancer support organizations. “White Out” T-shirts may be purchased at the game with proceeds going to the Barton Relay for Life and Camp Hope. For more information call the athletic office at 620-792-3777.