These are tough times for the Barton Community College men’s basketball team.
Prior to the start of the Kansas Jayhawk Community College Conference Western Division portion of their schedule, the Cougars posted a 14-0 record and possessed a No. 7 ranking in the National Junior College Athletic Association Division-I poll.
Back-to-back losses to Seward County and Dodge City have put the Cougars in an 0-2 hole.
To make matters worse for the Cougars (14-2, 0-2), who entertain Garden City (13-3, 1-1) tonight at 8 at Kirkman Activity Center, they will be playing short-handed against the Broncbusters.
Sophomore power forward Dwayne Brunson will be sitting out tonight’s game with Garden, serving a one-game suspension. Brunson, along with Dodge City’s James Milton, were ejected during the first half of Barton’s 91-86 loss to the Conquistadors at United Wireless Arena in Dodge City on Saturday.
In accordance with NJCAA regulations, both players will be serving mandatory one-game suspensions on Wednesday.
If losing Brunson, their second-leading scorer and top rebounder, won’t be tough enough for the Cougars tonight, sophomore forward Jalen Boyd has reportedly left the squad.
That means the likes of freshman guard Algie Key and Co. must ratchet up their game another level.
Against Dodge City, the Cougars found themselves holding a 23-18 lead before the Conqs unleashed a 14-0 run to build a nine-point halftime lead.
After losing Brunson, who is averaging 17.6 points and 10.1 rebounds, the undersized Cougars weren’t able to turn the corner in the second half.
Key, a 6-foot-3 Decatur, Ga., native, leads the team in scoring in all games (18.7-point average) and ranks second in rebounding (7.7 per game).
Sophomore swingman Carl Wallace is averaging 11.4 points and 6.9 rebounds, and sophomore forward Darius Hill is averaging 10.7 points and 7.0 rebounds.
Garden City, which lost to Hutchinson 81-72 on Saturday, is led by Geron Johnson, who is averaging 18.1 points.
Chauncy Williams is averaging 16.8 points, and Jarwand Rheubottom is averaging 14.4 points and a team-high 6.4 rebounds.