It wasn’t what you’d expect from the top two scoring teams in the National Junior College Athletics Association Region VI — at least not to start with.
In the first three minutes of the men’s basketball tilt, a total of six points were scored, all from the free-throw line.
However, Barton Community College started to run away with the game midway through the first half, winning 89-62 over Neosho County on Friday night at the Best Western/Cougars Booster Club Classic at Kirkman Activity Center.
“I was real pleased with the focus,” Barton head coach Craig Fletchall said. “You never know about these holiday games, but I thought we got out there and shared the ball well. We got out there in transition, and weathered a slow start and took a good run into half.”
At the 14:30 mark in the first half, the Cougar unleashed a 14-2 run that ended any hint of a close game.
Raphael Stephens got it started with a cut to the basket for two points. Al Key followed that up with five points — a three-point play and a layup. Andell Cumberbatch hit a jumper in the lane.
Neosho’s Jordan Nicholas hit a pair of free throws.
However, the Cougars responded with a Trey Unrau 3-pointer and a long shot from Turon Parker for two points.
Barton led 49-20 at halftime, and the Cougars added to the lead in the second half.
“I was really pleased,” Fletchall said of his defense. “I thought man-to-man, we knew who the shooters were. We executed the game plan. The kids came to play.”
Key finished with 16 points and 10 assists for a double-double.
Parker tied Key with 16 points, a team high.
JUCO BASKETBALL
Best Western/Cougars
Booster Club Classic
MEN
Friday
At Great Bend
Kirkman Activity Center
Barton Community College 89,
Neosho County 62
NEOSHO COUNTY
Mark Gray 0-1 0-0 0, Jamie Batish 2-7 0-0 6, Daniel Magley 0-3 0-1 0, Jake Stoppel 4-9 0-3 8, Jeremey Nolen 6-8 2-2 16, Jalen Jones 3-7 1-2 8, Bryant Miller 0-1 0-0 0, D’Marco Smith 2-3 0-0 5, Keegan Oyugi 2-4 2-3 6, D’Avonte Garland 1-3 0-0 2, Dillon O’Dell 1-1 2-2 5, Jordan Nicholas 2-4 2-3 6. Totals 23-51 9-16 62.
BARTON (9-0)
Turon Parker 6-12 2-2 16, Andell Cumberbatch 4-10 3-6 13, Algie Key 5-9 6-7 16, Raheem Johnson 2-4 3-6 7, Raphael Stephens 3-5 0-0 6, Shaka Thomas 1-6 0-0 2, Andy Wiechman 0-3 0-0 0, Trey Unrau 3-6 1-2 10, John Goodson 4-4 0-0 8, Kevin Kuteyi 5-12 0-0 11, Travell Robinson 0-1 0-0 0. Total 33-72 15-23 89.
Halftime — Barton 49, Neosho County 20. Three-point goals — Barton 8-31 (Unrau 3-6, Parker 2-7, Cumberbatch 2-5, Kuteyi 1-6, Thomas 0-4, Wiechman 0-2, key 0-1); Neosho County 7-16 (Batish 2-6, Nolen 2-3, Jones 1-1, Smith 1-2, O’Dell 1-1, Garland 0-2, Magley 0-1). Rebounds — Barton 36 (Stephens 8); Neosho County 27 (Stoppel 8). Assists — Barton 19 (Key 10); Neosho County 13 (Oyugi 6). Turnovers — Neosho County 17, Barton 9. Steals — Barton 13 (Cumberbatch 3); Neosho County 4 (Oyugi 2). Total fouls — Neosho County 18, Barton 16.
