BLUE DRAGON SEASON ENDS WITH TIGHT LOSS AT COWLEY

Hutchinson CC Sports Information

ARKANSAS CITY – The Hutchinson Community College men's basketball team saw a tough season come to an end on Saturday in the opening round of the Region 6 Tournament.

In a back-and-forth contest that featured eight lead changes and five ties, the 11th-seeded Blue Dragons were eliminated from the postseason after a 61-60 loss to No. 6-seed Cowley at Scott Auditorium.

The Blue Dragons close the 2025-26 season with a 14-17 overall record. Cowley (19-12) advances to play at Dodge City on Tuesday.

Trailing 57-56 with less than 3 minutes to play in regulation, the Blue Dragons took a one-point lead after two Asher Boney free throws with 2:36 to play. The Dragons increased the lead to three points when Daleron Thomas drove down the right side of the lane and finished with a left-handed layup for a 60-57 lead with 1:33 to play.

Cowley pulled within 60-59 on a C.J. Majors layup with 1:21 to play. Kordell Williams then looked to have an open late to the basket for a layup, but Xavier Vickerstaff blocked the shot. The Tigers reclaimed the lead with 20 seconds to play on a Marcus Smith layup. The Blue Dragons missed their final two shot attempts and never has possession again.

Daleron Thomas led the Blue Dragons with 19 points, hitting 3 of 5 3-point goals.

Chudier Dorar came off the bench to finish with 11 points, three rebounds and three blocked shots. With his second rejection, Dorar broke the Blue Dragon freshman record for blocked shots with 77 rejections. He surpassed Fred Odihambo, who had 75 blocks as a freshman in 2019. Dorar's 77 blocks are also third on the Blue Dragon overall single-season blocked shot list.

Anthony Alston had 10 points and Boney closed with seven points and five rebounds.

The Blue Dragons shot 39.6 percent (21 of 63), including 5 of 14 from 3-point range and 13 of 17 from the free-throw line. The Blue Dragons were out-rebounded 33-30.

Vickerstaff hit 6 of 9 3-point goals to lead Cowley with 20 points. Smith had 14 points.

The Tigers shot 44.8 percent (26 of 58), including 8 of 18 from 3-point range and 1 of 4 from the free-throw line. The Tigers committed 15 turnovers.

The Tigers scored the first four points, but with the help of two Thomas free throws, the Blue Dragons went on a 10-2 run to lead 10-6 with 14:35 to play in the first half. A Thomas 3-pointer gave the Dragons a 19-13 lead with 8:43 remaining in the first half. The Blue Dragons had their largest lead of eight points at 26-18 after a Kordell Williams' basket with 3:54 remaining in the first half.

The Blue Dragons led 28-24 at halftime.

Hutchinson held off Cowley for the first 5 minutes of the second half, but the Tigers reclaimed a 35-33 lead when Vickerstaff buried a 3-pointer with 14:42 remaining.

The Dragons built a 41-37 lead after two Thomas free throws with 11:24 to play in the second half and boosted the lead to 47-40 after an Alston layup with 8:45 to go in the game. After an Alston 3-pointer gave the Dragons a 50-43 lead, Cowley went on a 8-0 run to take a 51-50 lead after another Vickerstaff 3-poitner with 6:06 to play.

GAME NOTES – The Blue Dragons are now 145-55 all-time in 200 Region 6 Tournament games. … The Blue Dragons had their first losing season since the 1952-53 season. … The Blue Dragons are now 91-52 all-time against Cowley, including 32-28 in Arkansas City and 12-10 in Region 6 Tournament games. … The Blue Dragons held Cowley 22 points under its 83-point scoring average. … Cowley shot an opponent season-low one made free throw and four free-throw attempts. … The Dragons are 11-4 when leading at halftime and are 5-9 in road games this season. … Bobby Cannon finished with 99 career blocked shots, which is ninth in Blue Dragon history. … The Dragons are 2-5 in games decided by three points or less.