Just 24 hours after losing his first game as a women’s head basketball coach, Carter Kruger led Barton Community College to his first career win.
The Lady Cougars got up early against Coffeyville on Saturday night at Kirkman Activity Center, winning the Highland Hotel/Pizza Hut Classic game 78-67.
“I’d prefer to never have that first loss, but I’m excited about it,” Kruger said. “It something that I’ve been waiting for for a long time. I’m glad I’m around a good group of kids to share it with, too.”
Freshman guard Ashton Bruner scored a team-leading 17 points for Barton (1-1), going 7-for-12 from the field with a number of slashing drives to the rim.
“She’s a kid that brings a lot on both ends of the court,” Kruger said. “She just works her tail off. She’s got a good base, and her future’s only going to get brighter.
“Driving the ball is something she’s always going to be able to do because she’s athletic as they come. Hopefully, we can get her to handle the ball a little more through some contact.”
Bruner finished with six rebounds to lead Barton.
Sophomore point guard Erin Copeland added 15 points, and Blair Bloomfield scored 13.
Barton was able to get to the free-throw line against Coffeyville (0-2), shooting 16-for-26 (61.5 percent), which was much improved on Friday night’s season-opening loss to No. 20 Midland College, 63-54.
“I didn’t have anything to do with that,” Kruger said. “I just think that was our team focusing a little bit better.”
JUCO BASKETBALL
Highland Hotel & Pizza Hut Classic
At Great Bend
Kirkman Activity Center
Saturday
WOMEN
Barton 78, Coffeyville 67
COFFEYVILLE (0-2)
Miaja Coursey 6-7 6-7 18, Nina Cook 7-8 1-4 15, Chelsie Keys 3-5 1-2 7, Devyn Edwards 2-6 3-4 7, Tera Green 1-6 4-4 6, Meghan Winden 1-1 3-4 6, Mariah Forrest 3-5 0-0 6, Ceyaira Washington 0-4 2-2 2, Kourtney Carpenter 0-0 0-1 0. Totals 23-42 20-28 67.
BARTON (1-1)
Ashton Bruner 7-12 3-5 17, Erin Copeland 5-8 2-2 15, Blair Bloomfield 4-7 4-4 13, Ta’Kerra Williams 4-5 1-4 9, Taschell Phillips 3-8 2-2 8, Payton Scheer 2-8 0-0 6, Kelsey Keith 1-1 2-2 4, Kailai Brantner 0-1 2-7 2, Jackie Bueno 1-5 0-0 2, Taylor Mayes 1-1 0-0 2, Jennifer Allende 1-1 0-0 2. Totals 28-58 16-26 78.
Halftime — Barton 46, Coffeyville 28. Three-point goals — Barton 6-14 (Copeland 3-5, Scheer 2-5, Bloomfield 1-3, Allende 0-1); Coffeyville 1-4 (Winden 1-1, Edwards 0-2, Green 0-1).
