With sole possession of second place at stake, Seward County and Barton went back and forth in a Kansas Jayhawk Community College Conference Western Division matchup on Saturday night at Kirkman Activity Center.
One of the key plays of the game came with Seward, the defending two-time West champion and preseason favorite, holding a 61-57 lead with under two minutes remaining. Saints 6-foot-10 post player Edson Avila penetrated in the lane and scored off a spin move. He was fouled by Barton's Dominique Wilson and converted the free throw for a three-point play, giving Seward a 64-57 lead and the separation it needed in a 71-60 victory.
"They were a tougher team and more physical," Barton head coach Craig Fletchall said. "They did to us what we did to them (in a conference-opening victory at Liberal in January).
"It's ironic that both teams won on each other's floor. They were more physical, and there was nobody that watched the game that thought we were in any kind of control in that game. Seward pretty much led from start to finish."
The Saints, led by shooting guard Jabari Peters' 20 points, now sits all alone in second place in the West, improving to 16-7 overall, 7-2 in conference play.
Barton, which dropped into third place, falls to 19-4, 6-3, three games back of West leader and top-ranked Hutchinson.
"The league (crown) is a reach right now and a home playoff game is still within reach," Fletchall said. "Our guys have to come together and be focused.
"I take full responsibility for this because I don't think we had a team that was on the same page tonight. When we needed a big stop, we didn't get it and when we needed a big layup or a free throw, we missed them."
Andell Cumberbatch led three Barton players in double figures with 17 points. Al Key finished with 13 and Turon Parker scored 10.
In a first half that played into Seward's favor, the Saints rode a barrage of 3-point baskets to a 33-22 halftime lead, one of Barton's lowest-scoring halves of the season.
Barton trailed only 15-14 after Key's jumper at the 11:09 mark, but Seward went on a half-ending 18-6 run.
Peters nailed 4 of 5 from distance in the first half and finished with 13 points at the break. The Saints hit four of those 3s, including a pair from Peters, during a 7:40 stretch — from the 9:40 mark until the two-minute mark — for a 28-18 advantage.
Seward's Kaheem Ransom added 11 of his 19 points in the first half.
Barton shot only 26.7 percent (8 for 30) by halftime, including missing seven of eight 3s.
The Saints, whose field-goal percentage was 39.3 at the break (11 for 28), made seven of 13 3s and finished 8-for-18 on the night.
Barton travels to Dodge City on Wednesday night for its next action.
JUNIOR COLLEGE BASKETBALL
Kansas Jayhawk Community
College Conference
Western Division
MEN
Saturday
At Great Bend
Kirkman Activity Center
Seward County Community College 71,
Barton 60
SEWARD (16-7, 7-2)
Jabari Peters 4-9 8-9 20, Kaheem Ransom 6-15 4-9 19, Edson Avila 7-10 2-4 16, Malcolm Hill-Bey 3-5 5-11 12, Leslee Smith 1-3 0-0 2, Brian Bridgeforth 0-0 2-4 2, Briston White 0-2 0-0 0, Quentin Purtue 0-0 0-0 0, Jerry Cobb 0-3 0-0 0. Totals 21-47 21-37 71.
BARTON (19-4, 6-3)
Andell Cumberbatch 8-12 0-1 17, Algie Key 3-13 7-10 13, Turon Parker 4-14 0-0 10, Kevin Kuteyi 2-7 2-2 7, Dominique Wilson 1-7 4-4 6, Rapheal Stephens 1-2 3-6 5, Raheem Johnson 1-3 0-0 2, Shaka Thomas 0-1 0-0 0, Trey Unrau 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 20-59 16-23 60.
Halftime — Seward 33, Barton 22. Three-point goals — Seward 8-18 (Peters 4-7, Ransom 3-7, Hill-Bey 1-2, White 0-1, Cobb 0-1); Barton 4-16 (Parker 2-7, Kuteyi 1-3, Cumberbatch 1-4, Thomas 0-1, Key 0-1). Rebounds — Seward 42 (Peters 9); Barton 35 (Cumberbatch 10). Assists — Seward 12 (Ransom 3, Peters 3); Barton 8 (Parker 3). Steals — Barton 7 (Key 3); Seward 6 (Ransom 2). Turnovers — Seward 16, Barton 11. Total fouls — Seward 21, Barton 25. Fouled out — Seward (Avila, Smith); Barton (Kuteyi).
