COLBY — Al Key kept making big play after big play on Sunday afternoon.
Key, a 6-foot-4 sophomore guard from Decatur, Ga., capped it by hitting a buzzer-beating, tiebreaking layup to propel Barton Community College to a 67-65 victory over Colby in Kansas Jayhawk Community College Conference Western Division action.
Key, an NJCAA All-America candidate, led four Barton players in double-figure scoring with 17 points and dishing out seven assists. Turon Parker and Andell Cumberbatch scored 15 points and grabbed eight rebounds apiece for the Cougars, who led 28-20 at halfime. Freshman center Raheem Johnson finished with 10 points.
The win improves Barton's record to 24-4 overall, 11-4 in the Jayhawk West, where it is in sole possession of third place in the conference. It travels to Cloud County in Concordia on Wednesday night at 7:30, following the women's game at 5:30 — weather permitting.
Key's free throw with 1:44 remaining gave Barton a 64-59 lead, but Colby's Kris Rolle rolled in for a layup on the other end to cut the lead to 64-61.
Johnson made 1 of 2 free throws, capping a balmy 19-for-24 collective foul-shooting day for the Cougars and pushing the gap to 65-61 with 1:03 remaining.
Terry Starks' basket for Colby reduced the margin to 65-63 with 50 seconds left and then they tied the game at 65 on Cody Sluter's pair of free throws with 14 seconds left, but Key was able to answer.
Barton overcame 34-percent shooting (21 for 62) for the game.
— Mack McClure
JUNIOR COLLEGE BASKETBALL
Kansas Jayhawk Community College Conference
Western Division
MEN
Sunday
At Colby
Barton Community College 67, Colby 65
BARTON (24-5, 11-4)
Barton Community College 67, Colby 65
BARTON (24-5, 11-4)
Algie Key 4-10 9-10 17, Andell Cumberbatch 5-11 3-4 15, Turon Parker 5-17 2-2 15, Raheem Johnson 3-5 4-6 10, Kevin Kuteyi 2-11 0-0 5, Trey Unrau 1-3 1-1 3, Rapheal Stephens 1-1 0-1 2, John Goodson 0-0 0-0 0, Shaka Thomas 0-4 0-0 0. Totals 21-62 19-24 67.
COLBY (12-17, 3-12)
Kris Rolle 6-11 5-5 17, Jeremiah Ingram 5-9 5-7 16, Terry Starks 6-16 0-0 14, Branden Williams 3-8 2-2 8, John Clarke 2-8 0-0 6, Cody Sluder 1-6 2-2 4, Marko Kracun 0-2 0-0 0. Totals 23-60 14-16 65.
Halftime — Barton 28, Colby 21. Three-point goals — Barton 6-26 (Parker 3-10, Cumberbatch 2-4, Kuteyi 1-7, Thomas 0-4, Unrau 0-1); Colby 5-21 (Clarke 2-5, Starks 2-6, Ingram 1-2, Kracun 0-1, Sluder 0-3, Williams 0-4). Rebounds — Barton 38 (Parker 8, Cumberbatch 8); Colby 41 (Kris Rolle 14). Assists — Barton 9 (Key 7), Colby 8 (Starks 5). Total fouls — Barton 15, Colby CC 18. Fouled out — Barton (Stephens); Colby (Ingram).
