It was the first basketball game ever on Barton Community College’s new LT & Sheila Fleske court, and it was the Lady Cougars’ first home Kansas Jayhawk Community College Conference Western Division tilt of the season.
They didn’t disappoint.
Barton beat Dodge City 69-52 on Monday night at Kirkman Activity Center to improve to 11-4 overall, 1-1 in the West.
“It feels great,” Barton head coach Carter Kruger said of his team getting its first conference victory. “We’ve worked hard for it. We need to keep working hard. Our kids are doing a good job since we got back from break. They’re working hard, and we just need to keep moving forward.”
Dodge City dropped to 6-10, 0-2.
Doing what they couldn’t in Saturday night’s KJCCC West opener, the Lady Cougars came out strong in the first three minutes, starting an 11-3 run.
“That was an emphasis,” Kruger said. “We wanted to win the first five minutes of each half. We didn’t do it in the second half. We have to get stronger in the second half.”
Ta’Kerra Williams started things off with a layup, followed by two points from Dodge City’s Kelli Tolar.
Barton freshman guard Ashton Bruner drove to the basket for two points, and fed Taschell Phillips, who scored 14 points in the first half, in the paint for a quick bucket.
Phillips finished with a team-leading 16 points, tying a career high that she set on Nov. 27, 2012, against McPherson JV.
Bruner grabbed 13 boards as Barton held a 49-29 advantage on rebounds.
Dodge City’s Tolar made the back end of a pair of free throws before Williams made a three-point play.
Phillips capped the early run with a pull-up jumper.
Brandy Winbush came off the bench to score all of her 11 points in the first half, making 3 of 4 3-point attempts.
Kruger said he would’ve liked to see his players continue their scoring streak into the second half.
“The problem is the people who were really good in the first half mentally, didn’t bring it in the second half,” Kruger said. “We need to fix that soon. We need to be consistent throughout and give us 40 solid minutes.”
After a foul-filled first half that saw 21 fouls called between Barton and Dodge City, the Lady Cougars were able to maintain a lead throughout the closing half.
The Lady Conqs couldn’t gain momentum, never closing the gap to less than nine points.
Barton is back in action on Wednesday night, traveling to Garden City for a game at 5:30. The men’s game follows at 7:30.
JUNIOR COLLEGE BASKETBALL
Kansas Jayhawk Community College Conference
Western Division
WOMEN
Monday
At Great Bend
Kirkman Activity Center
LT & Sheila Fleske Court
Barton 69, Dodge City 52
DODGE CITY (6-10, 0-2)
Nicole Salazar 1-7 2-2 5, Katren Cramer 1-7 2-2 4, Jameesha Armstrong 4-11 6-7 15, Kelli Tolar 4-12 5-10 14, Casey McCauley 1-7 5-6 7, Brenna Briggs 0-3 0-0 0, Jekyrah Westmoreland 1-2 0-2 2, Austynia Ruiz 0-3 0-0 0, Rodesha Mouton 2-3 1-2 5. Totals 14-55 21-30 52.
BARTON (11-4, 1-1)
Kailai Brantner 0-2 0-0 0, Ashton Bruner 3-5 2-5 8, Blair Bloomfield 3-10 3-4 9, Taschell Phillips 8-13 0-0 16, Ta’Kerra Williams 4-8 1-1 9, Jackie Bueno 1-5 0-0 2, Taylor Mayes 1-1 0-0 2, Brandy Winbush 4-6 0-0 11, Erin Copeland 2-4 2-2 8, Kelsey Keith 1-5 1-2 4. Totals 27-59 9-14 69.
Halftime — Barton 41, Dodge City 29. Three-point goals — Barton 6-17 (Winbush 3-4, Copeland 2-4, Keith 1-4, Bloomfield 0-5); Dodge City 3-17 (Salazar 1-7, Armstrong 1-4, Tolar 1-4 Cramer 0-1, Briggs 0-1). Rebounds — Barton 49 (Bruner 13); Dodge City 29 (Cramer 7). Assists — Barton 18 (Brantner 4, Copeland 4); Dodge City 10 (Tolar 4). Steals — Dodge City 10 (Tolar 4); Barton 5 (Phillips 2). Turnovers — Barton 20; Dodge City 11. Total fouls — Barton 22; Dodge City 17. Fouled out — None.
