Barton Community College men’s basketball player Al Key was named the Kansas Jayhawk Community College Conference Player of the Week for his play over the New Year's holiday extended.

Key, a sophomore from Decatur, Ga., put together three solid games last week for No. 9-ranked Barton (15-1, 2-0 Jayhawk West), averaging 19 points and over eight rebounds. Included in his string of performances last Saturday night was helping lead the Cougars to a conference-opening 79-66 win at preseason West favorite Seward County, snapping a six-game losing streak to the Saints.

Earlier last week, Barton played Missouri State-West Plains and Paris (Texas) Junior College on consecutive days in a New Year's tournament at Neosho County in Chanute, splitting those games. Despite the Cougars falling from the unbeaten ranks in their overtime loss to Paris, Key was able to record his third double-double of the season and 10th of his career, having just missed another double-double the previous night against West Plains. Additionally, Key averaged over 3.5 assists and two steals per game during the stretch.

The Cougars (15-1) take a 2-0 conference mark into tonight's West tilt at Garden City. Tipoff is set for 7:30 p.m., following the women's game at 5:30. Barton, coming off a decisive home-opening win over Dodge City, returns to Kirkman Activity Center on Saturday night to play Butler of the Jayhawk East.

Key was a third-team NJCAA Divison-I All-America selection last season, as well as being named as the Jayhawk West newcomer of the year, a first-tean All-Region VI player and an all-conference first-team pick.

Key, a 6-foot-4 coast-to-coast threat won player-of-the-week honors on three occasions in 2011-12.