It was anyone’s basketball game heading into the second half on Tuesday night at Kirman Activity Center with the score tied 32-32.
However, Barton Community College’s women couldn’t keep up with Kansas Jayhawk Community College Conference Eastern Division opponent Cowley in the second half, falling 76-49.
“That first half and the second half were just complete opposites,” Barton head coach Carter Kruger said. “There’s no excuses for us. I don’t know. I don’t really have any words for it.”
The Lady Tigers scored six unanswered points to open the second half and went on an 11-2 run to take the game away.
Cowley’s size with 6-foot-1 Montia Johnson and 6-1 Brittany Bush reeling in rebounds on defense and offense seemed to give Barton fits, but Kruger said he didn’t think that was the problem.
“It wasn’t their size,” Kruger said. “We’ve played teams as big as them. We did a good job of blocking out, but we just didn’t play with any heart in the second half. We had zero heart. That’s the disturbing thing to me.”
The Lady Tigers finished with 37 rebounds — 10 on offense. Barton only grabbed 26 total.
Barton point guard Erin Copeland came out in the second half with an undisclosed injury. Kruger said he wasn’t sure what the injury was and that it would be looked at by the trainers.
Cowley led most of the first half, but an 8-1 run by the Lady Cougars tied the score heading into halftime.
Copeland got things started by driving to the basket for two points and getting fouled. She hit her free throw to complete the three-point play.
Tonisha Walker hit one of two free throws for the Lady Tigers.
Blair Bloomfield hit a mid-ranged jumper for two points, and Payton Scheer drained a 3-pointer for the Lady Cougars.
Bloomfield finished with a team-leading nine points. Kelsey Keith scored eight points and Taylor Mayes finished with seven.
Scheer led in rebounds with five.
Barton hosts Southwestern Community College (Iowa) on Friday evening at 5:30 during the Best Western/Cougars Booster Club Classic at Kirkman Activity Center.
JUNIOR COLLEGE BASKETBALL
WOMEN
Tuesday
At Great Bend
Kirkman Activity Center
Cowley Community College 76,
Barton 49
COWLEY (6-1)
Devery Alexander 4-8 0-0 9, T’Ondria Nolen 1-3 4-4 6, Brittany Bush 1-2 1-2 3, Tonisha Walker 4-8 2-4 10, Montia Johnson 7-10 4-7 18, Emilie Gronas 6-12 2-3 14, Megan Honas 3-9 3-4 10, Kassy Ptacek 1-2 2-2 4, Yvonna Dunkley 0-3 0-0 0, Janelle Hoheisel 0-1 0-0 0, Anna Mburu 0-1 0-0, Ester Micheva 1-2 0-0 2. Totals 28-61 18-26 76.
BARTON (5-2)
Payton Scheer 1-5 0-2 3, Ashton Bruner 3-6 1-3 7, Blair Bloomfield 4-8 0-0 9, Ta’Kerra Williams 1-5 2-4 4, Erin Copeland 3-7 1-1 8, Kailai Brantner 0-6 1-2 1, Jackie Bueno 1-4 0-0 2, Jennifer Allende 0-0 0-0 0, Taylor Mayes 3-4 1-2 7, Kelsey Keith 3-5 0-0 8, Brandy Winbush 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 19-51 6-14 49.
Halftime — Barton 32, Cowley 32. Three-point goals — Barton 5-16 (Keith 2-4, Scheer 1-3, Bloomfield 1-3, Copeland 1-2, Winbush 0-1); Cowley 2-15 (Alexander 1-3, Honas 1-3, Gronas 0-5, Dunknley 0-2, Mburu 0-1, Walker 0-1). Rebounds — Barton 26 (Scheer 5); Cowley 37 (Johnson 9). Assists — Barton 15 (Brantner 5); Cowley 14 (Nolen 6). Steals — Barton 6 (Williams 3); Cowley 7 (Honas 3). Total fouls — Barton 18, Cowley 16.
