LATE CANNON 3 CAPS BLUE DRAGON COMEBACK AT BUTLER

Hutchinson CC Sports Information

EL DORADO – Bobby Cannon hit a go-ahead 3-pointer to 1.3 seconds remaining to complete a double-figure comeback for the Hutchinson Community College men's basketball team on Saturday at the Power Plant in El Dorado.

Cannon's game winner topped off a come-from-behind 83-82 KJCCC victory for the Blue Dragons over the Butler Grizzlies in a battle where there were eight lead changes and 11 ties.

The Blue Dragons avoided the first 0-2 KJCCC start to a season since 2006 and improved to 6-2 overall and 1-1 in the KJCCC. The Blue Dragons head to Independence at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday at the ICC Fieldhouse. Butler is now 5-3 overall and 1-1 in the KJCCC.

Hutchinson trailed 76-65 with 5:03 remaining in the second half after a Devin Kerr field goal. But the Dragons to tie the game at 78-78 and 80-80. Butler then scored with 13 seconds left for an 82-80 lead.

With the shot clock off on the final possession of the game, Shaw tried to drive to the hoop from the right side. Facing a double team as he got to the lane, Shaw kicked a pass out to a wide-open Cannon, who sank only his second field goal of the game, a 25-foot 3-pointer for an 83-82 lead. Josiah Kirkwood's three-quarter court desperation shot was altered by Thomas and the Dragons completed the comeback.

Thomas came off the bench to lead the Blue Dragons with a season-high 20 points, hitting 6 of 7 total field goals and 3 of 3 from 3-point range.

Shaw had 13 of his 17 points in the second half. Shaw was 7 of 13 from the field. He added four rebounds.

Sophomore Asher Boney scored a career-high 14 points on 5 of 8 shooting with four rebounds. Freshman Chudier Dorar had 10 points and seven rebounds. Cannon finished with seven points, including the game-winning 3-pointer.

The Blue Dragons shot 56.0 percent for the game (28 of 50), including 5 of 8 from 3-point range and 22 of 31 from the free-throw line. The Dragons were out-rebounded 32-30 and had 16 turnovers.

Kerr had 18 points and Kirkwood had 17 points to lead the Grizzlies. Butler shot 37.7 percent from the floor (26 of 69), going 13 of 40 from 3-point range and 17 of 27 from the free-throw line.

The Blue Dragons jumped out to a 9-3 lead, but Butler rallied to tie the game at 11-11. Thomas knocked down a 3-pointer with 14:22 to play for a 14-11 lead.

The Dragons opened a 27-19 lead after a Boney bucket with 8:08 to go. But a 9-1 Butler run pulled the Grizzlies within 29-28 with 4:51 remaining in the half. Thomas drilled another 3-pointer with 2:34 remaining to give the Dragons a 37-33 lead. The Dragons had three more four-point leads, but Butler's Xavier Brown hit a 3-pointer with 3 seconds left to cut the Hutchinson lead to 42-41 at halftime.

The Blue Dragons trailed for a large portion of the second half. The Grizzlies hit back-to-back 3-pointers and led 69-60 with 7:31 remaining in the second half. Shaw scored with 7:02 left to snap that Butler run. But Kerr's jumper with 5:03 left capped a 19-9 Grizzly run for a 76-65 lead.

A Shaw dunk with 4:21 to go cut the Dragon deficit to 76-69. A Daleron Thomas 3-pointer with 3:08 left cut the Butler lead to 77-72. A Shaw layup tied the game at 78 with 1:02 to play. Butler had leads of 80-78 and 82-80 with 13 seconds to play. A Shaw layup tied the game at 80.

GAME NOTES – Blue Dragon head coach Kyle Fisher earned his 25th win on the Blue Dragon bench, which ties Melvin Binford for 15th on the Blue Dragon career coaching wins list. … The Dragons are 132-71 all-time vs Butler, including 52-42 in El Dorado. The Dragons have won three straight at the Power Plant. … This was all-time win No. 1,948. … The Dragons shot 50 percent or better for the third time this season. … The 11-point comeback was the largest by the Blue Dragons since rallying from 16 points down to defeat Cloud County on December 14, 2024.