DRAGONS SHOOT SEASON-HIGH 54 PERCENT IN VICTORY OVER COLBY
Hutchinson CC Sports Information
COLBY – The Hutchinson Community College men's basketball team shot a season-high 54 percent and dominated the second half as the Blue Dragons defeated the Colby Trojans 89-67 on Tuesday night at the Colby Event Center.
The Blue Dragons improved to 16-11 overall and 10-11 in the Jayhawk Conference while snapping a three-game losing streak, Hutchinson play host to Northwest Tech at 4 p.m. on Saturday in the Sports Arena for Blue Dragon Hall of Fame Day. Colby fell to 5-21 and 2-18 in the league.
The Dragons shot 34 of 63 for the game for a season-high 54.0 percent. Hutchinson led 41-27 at halftime and shot 62.1 percent (18 of 29) in the second half to outscore Colby 48-40.
Hutchinson had its best defensive half of the season in the opening half against the Trojans. Colby was held to an opponent-low 27 points for a half as the Trojans hit just 18 of 27 total shots and 0 of 7 from 3-point range. The Blue Dragons held Colby to just 10 points over the first 10 minutes of the game, which helped building leads as large at 14 points in the first 20 minutes.
Aaron Franklin scored 15 of his game-high 27 points in the first half on Tuesday and posted his eighth double-double of the season with 10 rebounds. Franklin has had two-straight double-doubles.
Aaron Potter had a hot-shooting second half, hitting 4 of 5 3-pointers to finish with 14 points.
Kernan Bundy had 13 points, seven rebounds and three steals. Kieran Carr scored 11 points on 4 of 4 shooting with season highs of eight rebounds and five assists.
Dre Weathers finished with eight points and Jayden Garrison had seven points.
The Blue Dragons had a cold-shooting start from distance, starting the game 1 of 13 in the first half. The Dragons finished 5 of 11 in the final 20 minutes to close at 6 of 24 overall. Hutchinson was 15 of 18 from the free-throw line. The Dragons out-rebounded Colby 34-22.
Elijah Wood finished with 22 points to lead Colby. Anthony Sellers and Joshua O'Garro had 12 points each.
The Trojans shot 40.4 percent (21 of 52), going 4 of 15 from 3-point range and 21 of 27 from the free-throw line. The Trojans had 16 turnovers.
Neither team had a strong offensive start. The Blue Dragons used a 14-2 run to build a 16-6 lead with 12:40 to play in the opening half. Colby got the lead down to 22-15 after a Mike Bell free throw with 8:13 to play.
Bundy's basket with 8:02 to go started an 11-2 run. Franklin hit a 3-pointer and Garrison scored to cap the run and Hutchinson led 33-17 with 3:47 to play in the half. Franklin scored with 2 seconds to play in the half and Hutchinson led 41-27 at intermission.
The Blue Dragons scored just seven points over the first 6 1/2 minutes of the second half and Colby pulled within 48-38 with 12:34 to play in the second half. With the lead still at 10 at 55-45, Garrison hit a 3-pointer, which started a Hutchinson's run to an 18-point lead. Back-to-back 3-pointers by Potter gave the Dragons a 71-53 lead with 6:13 to go.
Colby made one more run at Hutchinson, outscoring the Dragons 12-3 over the next 2 minutes, 44 seconds and pulled within 74-65 with 3:54 to go.
From that point, it was all Blue Dragons. Hutchinson scored 15 unanswered points and the Dragons held Colby scoreless for 3 minutes 34 seconds and without a field goal for 3:54.
GAME NOTES – The Blue Dragons won their fifth-straight game against Colby and now owns a 55-6 all-time series record over the Trojans. … The 2022-23 Blue Dragons now have 298 3-pointers for the season. … This was the ninth time this season to hold an opponent to less than 50 percent. … This was the third time this season to hold an opponent to less than 70 points. … This was Aaron Franklin's 17th game with 20 or more points.