LIBERAL — Down 17 points in the second half, the No. 9-ranked Barton Community College Cougars rallied with 10 unanswered points on Saturday night.
It got the Cougars within  striking distance of 12th-rated Seward County in a battle of first-place Kansas Jayhawk Community College Conference Western Division teams.
Yet, the Saints, the Jayhawk West preseason favorite, answered every Barton run thereafter and pulled away for a 77-59 victory.
“We got it down to seven points during a media timeout,” Barton head coach Craig Fletchall said. “After that, we just traded baskets and couldn’t stop them.”
Kaheem Ranson scored 22 points and Irvin Hollinger added 16 to lead Seward (19-4, 7-2).
“Seward kept attacking the basket and got their points,” Fletchall said.
Dwayne Brunson hit all six of his field goals, 8 of 9 free throws and totaled 20 points for Barton (20-3, 6-3), which dropped out of a tie for first place in the West with Seward and Colby.
Barton guard Algie Key, coming off a 30-point scoring explosion in a win over Cloud County on Wednesday, was held to only six points.
Barton returns to action on Wednesday, hosting Dodge City.

JUNIOR COLLEGE BASKETBALL
Kansas Jayhawk Community College Conference

At Liberal

Saturday

MEN

Seward County 77, Barton 59
BARTON (20-3, 6-3)
     Andell Cumberbatch 2-7 0-0 4, Turon Parker 1-4 1-2 4, Algie Key 3-11 0-1 6, Carl Wallace 3-12 6-9 12, Darius Hill 1-4 0-0 2, Jonathon Pittman 2-4 0-0 4, Kurt Walker 0-1 0-0 0, Julian Rose 1-2 0-0 2, DeVonte Grant 2-6 0-0 5, Dwayne Brunson 6-6 8-9 20. Totals 21-57 15-21 59.
SEWARD COUNTY (19-4, 7-2)
     Brice Jenkins 2-5 0-0 4, Kaheem Ransom 9-15 2-7 22, Irvin Hollinger 7-12 2-2 16, Deverell Biggs 4-9 0-0 9, Edson Avila 1-3 2-4 4, Corieonn Pearson 2-5 0-0 4, Daveon Boardingham 2-2 1-1 6, Trey Starks 4-5 4-4 12, Marcus Williamson 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 31-57 11-18 77.
     Halftime — Seward County 33, Barton 23. Three-point goals — Seward County 4-12 (Ransom 2-4, Biggs 1-1, Boardingham 1-1, Pearson 0-3, Jenkins 0-2, Starks 0-1); Barton 2-12 (Parker 1-3, Grant 1-4, Cumberbatch 0-4, Wallace 0-1). Assists — Seward County 11 (Ransom 3); Barton 16 (Walker 5). Rebounds — Seward County 29 (Hollinger 8); Barton 41 (Cumberbatch 6). Blocked shots — Seward County 4 (Boardingham 2); Barton 8 (Wallace 2). Turnovers — Seward County 10; Barton 17. Total fouls — Seward County 19; Barton 19.