DRAGONS RESPOND WITH RESOUNDING VICTORY OVER BUSTERS

Hutchinson CC Sports Information

The No. 14-ranked Hutchinson Community College men's basketball team rebounded from Wednesday's tough loss to No. 6 Barton with an impressive 21-point win over the Garden City Broncbusters on Saturday at the Sports Arena.

The Blue Dragons opened up a double-figure lead just 7 minutes, 17 seconds into the game and rolled to an 85-64 victory over Garden City to close out the first half of the Jayhawk Conference season.

Hutchinson improved to 15-3 overall, 10-2 in the Jayhawk Conference. The Blue Dragons open the second time through the league this season with a 7:30 p.m. matchup against Dodge City on Wednesday at the Sports Arena. Garden City is now 11-7, 7-5 in the KJCCC.

The Blue Dragons regained their defensive form holding Garden City to 35.6 percent overall shooting and 6 of 26 from 3-point range. The Busters had been shooting 50 percent from 3-point range over their last five games, but was held to 6 of 26 from distance. The Busters missed 14 of their first 15 3-point attempts. The Blue Dragons opened a 47-30 lead at halftime. The Dragons led by as many as 30 points in the second half.

Kamryn Thomas rebounded from a tough game against Barton with a 22 team-high points. Thomas had 20 points in the opening half, going 4 of 6 from 3-point range in the opening 20 minutes. Thomas also had seven rebounds.

Kernan Bundy, Dallas Whitney and Kobe Smith came off the bench to combined for 39 of Hutchinson's 45 bench points with all three scoring in double figures.

Bundy hit three 3-pointers and finished with 15 points. Bundy was 5 of 8 shooting overall. Whitney was also 5 of 8 shooting with two 3-pointers and finished with 14 points and three steals. Smith was 5 of 7 shooting for 10 points and three rebounds.

The Blue Dragons shot 47.7 percent (31 of 65) overall, hitting 9 of 21 3-pointers, including six in the first half. Hutchinson was 14 of 23 from the foul line. The Dragons out-rebounded Garden City 47-30 and had only 12 turnovers.

Braxton Jones hit four 3-pointers and had a game-high 23 points to lead Garden City. Thomas Tut had 13 points.

The Busters shot 35.6 percent for the game (21 of 59). They were 16 of 23 from the foul line. The Busters had 11 turnovers.

An Edwin Daniel dunk after a Buster turnover capped a game-opening 13-3 run just 6 minutes into the game. Garden City cut the lead back to eight, but Daniel had another dunk for a 15-5 lead with 12:43 to go. The Dragon lead never dropped to single digits the rest of the night.

Hutchinson's fast start improved to 24-8 on a JoJo Adeoye putback with 9:51 to play. The Blue Dragons were 10 of 20 with three 3-pointers over that span. Garden City was 3 of 18 overall and 0-6 from distance in the first 10 minutes.

Garden City cut Hutchinson's lead to 13 points four different times in the opening half. After a Tut jumper cut the Dragon lead to 34-21, the Dragons answered back with a 7-0 run to lead 41-21 on a Thomas jumper with 2:57 left.

The Busters matched that run with a 9-2 run to pull with 43-30 with 38 seconds left. Valentino Simon scored with 19 seconds left and then Smith scored with a putback bucket at the buzzer to up the Dragon lead to 47-30.

The Dragons scored the first five points to lead 52-30. The game was never closer than 21 points after that. Hutchinson built a 74-44 lead after a Bundy transition 3-pointer with 7:27 to play.

GAME NOTES – The Blue Dragons are now 3-0 after losses this season. … The Dragons improve their all-time record vs. Garden City to 142-51 all-time, 77-11 in games in Hutchinson and 64-9 in games at the Sports Arena. … This was all-time win No. 1,909. … The Blue Dragons are 14-0 this season when leading at the half. … JoJo Adeoye had a season-high four rebounds. … Kamryn Thomas registered his fifth 20-point game this season. … Kernan Bundy tied season highs with three pointers and seven rebounds. … This was the eighth game this season the Blue Dragons held an opponent to less than 40 percent shooting. … The Dragons had a 34-18 scoring advantage in the paint and 45-14 advantage off the bench.