Hutchinson CC Sports Information

The Hutchinson Community College Blue Dragons and Garden City Broncbusters have a lot to live up two after a pair of instant classics the two teams played in last season.

Both teams are part of a four-way tie for fourth in the Jayhawk Conference, the Blue Dragons (12-5, 6-5) and Broncbusters (11-5, 6-5) tip off at 4 p.m. Saturday at Conestoga Arena in Garden City to complete the first turn through the KJCCC season. The game will be streamed live on the Blue Dragon Sports Network and broadcast live on Blue Dragon flagship station KHUT-FM (102.9) and sister stations KWBW-AM/FM (1450/98.5) at 3:45 p.m.

Last season, the Blue Dragons and Broncbusters locked up in a pair of incredible games with the road team winning both games.

First, the Busters defeated the Blue Dragons 132-129 in a game where Garden City set a single-game team scoring record and the 259 combined points were a Blue Dragon single-game record. One month later, Jaquez Yow scored a career-high 39 points to lead Hutchinson to a 120-113 overtime victory at Garden City.

The Dragons had their first conference bye on Wednesday and haven't played since last Saturday when Aaron Franklin racked up 25 points and 18 rebounds in Hutchinson's 86-75 win over Seward County at the Sports Arena, the Dragons' fourth-straight win.

Defensively, the Blue Dragons produced one of their best overall defensive efforts of the season after holding the Saints to 33.8 percent shooting and forcing 23 turnovers.

Garden City is 7-3 in its last 10 games for first-year head coach Rusty Elmore, but dropped a 79-69 road decision at Butler on Wednesday in El Dorado. Three Broncbusters scored in double figures against Butler led by Buru Naivalurua's 19 points. DaJion Humphrey had 17 points and Jaborri McGhee had 13 points.

Saturday's game features the Nos. 1 and 4 scorers in the Jayhawk Conference, as well as the top rebounder, assist maker and field-goal percentage leader.

Hutchinson's Aaron Franklin leads in the KJCCC and is No. 8 in the NJCAA in scoring at 23.9 points per game. Garden City's Humphrey is fourth in scoring at 18.9 points per game. Naivalurua leads the KJCCC in rebounding at 10.2 boards. Garden's Jaborri McGhee averaged a league-high 4.4 assists. Garden's Larry Olayinka leads the Jayhawk in field-goal percentage at 69.6 percent.

Hutchinson, Garden City, Barton and Cloud County are all tied for fourth place in the KJCCC with 6-5 record, just one game behind Coffeyville and Butler for second and four games behind Dodge City for first place at the mid-point in league play.