Maybe there’s a reason the defending Kansas Jayhawk Community College Conference Western Division champion Seward Saints are the preseason favorite.
The previously unbeaten Barton Cougars built a 38-26 halftime lead, only to have Seward rally with 47 second-half points for a 73-67 victory on Wednesday night at Kirkman Activity Center.
It was the first loss in 15 games this season for the Cougars, ranked No. 7 in the latest National Junior College Athletics Association Division-I poll. More importantly, the Cougars are 0-1 in conference play and will travel to Dodge City on Saturday to play the Conquistadors at 7:30 p.m., preceded by the women’s game at 5:30.
Dodge City traveled to Hutchinson on Wednesday night and knocked off the 10th-ranked Dragons 78-75.
“It was clearly a tale of two halves,” Barton head coach Craig Fletchall said. “We were definitely the aggressor in the first half and we got the shots we wanted to get.”
BCC freshman guard Algie Key finished with 23 points, five rebounds and four assists, and sophomore power forward Dwayne Brunson scored all 14 of his points in the first half, including a pair of 3-pointers.
Barton shot 45.5 percent in the first half (15-for-33) and finished 44.8 percent for the game (26-for-58), but when Seward started to turn the tide after the break, the Cougars didn’t have an answer.
“In the second half, Seward went on a 9-0 run and we got six fouls right off the bat,” Fletchall said. “They were aggressive and attacked the basket and we became a complacent dribble-drive team, which is something we’ve never done.”
The Saints (13-2) started carving into the lead when they were able to maximize their possessions and get themselves to the free-throw line. In fact, Seward sank 12 of 12 free throws in the game’s final 10 minutes, while Barton made only 5 of 9 during that stretch.
“We lose by six and they have seven more made free throws than us,” Fletchall said. “I know it’s not as simple as that, but we definitely had our chances and (Seward) hit some big ones. That’s why they’re picked to win the league.
“Our guys looked defeated when Seward took the lead (at 58-56 with 4:45 left).”
Edson Avila’s basket sent the Saints on a 7-2 run to push their lead to 63-58, capped by Deverell Biggs’ 3-pointer and two free throws near the three-minute mark.
A pair of coast-to-coast drives for baskets by Key down the stretch proved too little, too late for the Cougars.
“It was a game where we just didn’t hit free throws late in the game,” Brunson said. “I believe we’re the better team and we can beat anybody we play.
“We came in here humble, and we still came in here ready to play. We weren’t worried about being 14-0 because conference, we were 0-0.”
Make that 0-1.
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Wednesday
Seward 73, Barton 67
SEWARD (13-2, 1-0)
Daveon Boardingham 6-8 7-10 19, Deverell Biggs 5-11 2-2 13, Corieon Pearson 4-6 2-2 11, Kaheem Ransom 4-6 0-0 10, Brice Jenkins 0-3 6-8 6, Irvin Hollinger 2-9 2-2 6, Edson Avila 2-4 0-0 4, Trey Starks 2-6 0-0 4. Totals 25-53 19-24 73.
BARTON (14-1, 0-1)
Algie Key 8-15 7-11 23, Dwayne Brunson 6-13 0-0 14, Carl Wallace 4-10 1-4 10, Julian Rose 3-5 0-0 6, Turon Parker 2-4 1-2 5, Jalen Boyd 1-4 3-6 5, Jonathan Pittman 1-2 0-0 2, Darius Hill 1-4 0-0 2, Andell Cumberbatch 0-1 0-0 0, Kurt Walker 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 26-58 12-23 67.
Halftime — Barton 38, Seward 26. Three-point goals —Seward 4-12 (Ransom 2-4, Pearson 1-2, Biggs 1-2, Starks 0-1, Hollinger 0-2, Jenkins 0-1); Barton 3-9 (Brunson 2-5, Wallace 1-2, Parker 0-1, Rose 0-1). Rebounds — Seward 35 (Boardingham 11); Barton 32 (Key 5, Brunson 5, Wallace 5). Assists — Seward 10 (Ransom 3, Jenkins 3); Barton 13 (Key 4). Total fouls — Seward 19; Barton 18.
