It was a dictionary definition of a trap game.
The Barton men were unbeaten on the season heading into Saturday’s home game with Independence. The Pirates were just 1-5 in the Jayhawk.
Following the Independence game, Barton’s schedule put them against a pair of title contenders. Oh, and leading scorer Ezekiel Charles was due back on the floor for the Cougars for the first time more than a week.
Trap game it was.
Independence stunned the Cougars by an 80-71 count to hand Barton its first loss of the season, dropping them from a tie at the top of the Jayhawk standings. Barton is now tied for second with Cloud County at 6-1 while Hutchinson leads the conference at 7-0. The Cougars are 10-1 overall.
Indy is now 2-5 in the Jayhawk and 5-5 overall.
The symptoms were in place for the upset loss.
Barton shot a season-low 38 percent from the floor. Made just 21-of-37 free throws and committed a season-high 17 turnovers. And for Indy, the Pirates had a player go off for 38 points.
That was enough to allow the Pirates to pull off the upset.
Things started well enough for the Cougars, jumping to an 8-0 lead on the Pirates. Indy didn’t score until more than five minutes were gone in the game.
It was then Dejon Streeter hit a layup. That would be the first two of his 38 points on the night. The Cougars would go more than seven minutes without a field goal as Indy took a 17-16 lead. The Pirates led 35-33 at half.
Back-to-back 3’s to start the second half for the Cougars gave them a 39-35 lead. With just more than eight minutes left in the game, Barton still had a 53-49 lead. Then came another drought.
This time Barton went nearly four minutes without a point as the Pirates went on a 12-0 run to take a 61-53 lead with 4:50 play. Barton would get no closer than six the rest of the way.
Jahlil Rawley led Barton with 16 points. Charles returned – at less than 100 percent – to score 12. Malik Rhodes and Keeshawn Palmer also added 12. Palmer also finished with 10 rebounds.
Streeter finished by going 11-for-14 from the field and the same 11-of-14 from the free throw line to torch the Cougars for those 38 points.
Now it’s on to Dodge City for a date with Conquistadors. Dodge is 4-3 in the Jayhawk. The trip Wednesday will be at 7:30 pm. The Cougars will close out the first semester against unbeaten Hutchinson at the Barton Gym Saturday.

Independence 80, Barton 71
Indy 35 45 80
Barton 33 38 71
Indy (80)
Scroggins 1-6 4-8 7, Turner 3-12 4-4 11, Riley 1-3 5-6 7, Pedsleaux 0-0 0-0 0, Grant 1-5 1-1 3, Streeter 11-14 11-14 38, Pratt 1-2 1-2 3, Carson 4-8 0-0 9, Gard 0-0 2-2 2, Miller 0-2 0-0 0, McCallum 0-0 0-0 0. Totals – 22-52 8-25 28-37.
Barton (71)
Norman 2-7 0-0 5, Rhodes 3-12 4-10 12, Rawley 5-10 3-4 16, Smith 1-2 4-7 6, Palmer 5-7 2-3 12, Barker 0-3 0-0 0, Webster 0-3 4-4 4, Toppin 2-3 0-0 4, Barbee 0-2 0-0 0, Charles 3-7 4-9 12. Totals – 21-56 21-37 71.
3-pointers – Indy 8-25 (Streeter 5-7, Carson 1-3, Scroggins 1-4, Turner 1-5, Grant 0-4, Miller 0-2). Barton 8-22 (Rawley 3-5, Charles 2-4, Rhodes 2-8, Norman 1-2, Barker 0-1, Webster 0-1, Barbee 0-1).
Rebounds – Indy 35 (Grant 7). Barton 40 (Palmer 10). Assists – Indy 6 (Grant 2). Barton 13 (Rawley 6). Steals – Indy 6 (6 with 1). Barton 8 (Charles 3). Blocks – Indy 1 (Pratt), Barton 1 (Toppin).
Turnovers – Indy 17, Barton 17. Fouled out – Smith, Webster, Barton. Technicals – Streeter, Indy.