No. 1 Barton Community College cut the nets down after clinching the Jayhawk Conference basketball title with Saturday's 91-78 victory over No. 15 Hutchinson Community College. The Cougars win the Jayhawk for the first time since 2009.
The Cougars (28-1, 22-1 Jayhawk) clinched a berth in the 2024 NJCAA Tournament based on recent history. The Jayhawk champion that doesn't win the Region 6 championship has been typically awarded an invitation.
Jones led the Cougars with 19 points and 14 rebounds for his 12th double/double. Also scoring in double figures were Ring Malith (15) with a trio of 3-pointers, Brent Moss (14), Cooper Jackson (14) with eight steals, Myles Thompson (12) and Mozae Downing-Rivers (12) with six assists and three steals.
The Cougars travel to Colby Tuesday.
Barton increased its four-point halftime lead with an early 7-0 run to push the margin into double digits, keeping the Blue Dragons at arms reach the rest of the way to win its fifth straight in the series.
Valentino Simon's 11th double-double of the year led the Blue Dragons playing with its leading scorer Kamryn Thomas in putting up 20 points and grabbing 10 rebounds. Kobe Smith and Russell Branch each added 13 points as Landon Wagler's 11 points helped Hutchinson outscore Barton's bench by five.
NOTES – Barton has won five straight and is 4-1 in the past five at home. Hutchinson leads 29-26 at Barton and 81-44 overall.
Hutchinson 33 45 — 78
Barton 37 54 — 91
HUTCHINSON (24-5, 19-4)—Simon 9-19 0-0 20, Smith 5-10 1-2 13, Branch 3-7 4-4 13, Wagler 4-6 0-0 11, Ricks 2-7 2-3 7, Weathers 3-3 1-1 7, Bundy 3-4 1-2 8, Daniel 0-2 0-0 0, Totals 29-58 9-12 78.
BARTON (28-1, 22-1)—Jones 5-11 7-10 19, Malith 5-11 2-4 15, Moss 6-9 2-6 14, Jackson 6-9 2-6 14, Thompson 5-13 2-4 12, Downing-Rivers 3-8 5-6 12, Kindell 2-6 0-0 5, Bowen-Webb 0-2 0-0 0, Ndayisaba 0-2 0-0 0, Totals 32-70 18-30 91.
3-pointers—H 11-26 (Wagler 3-5, Branch 3-5, Smith 2-5, Simon 2-6, Bundy 1-1, Daniel 0-1, Ricks 0-3); BC 9-21 (Malith 3-7, Jones 2-4, Jackson 2-3, Kindell 1-1, Downing-Rivers 1-2, Bowen-Webb 0-2, Thompson 0-2). Rebounds—H 38 (Simon 10); BC 42 (Jones 14). Assists—H 15 (Ricks 5); BC 15 (Downing-Rivers 6). Steals—H 4 (Branch 2); BC 14 (Jackson 8). TO—H 10, BC 10.
JAYHAWK MEN
Barton 23-1 29-1
Cowley 20-3 24-4
Hutchinson 19-4 24-5
Butler 17-6 22-7
Cloud 15-8 20-9
Garden City 14-9 18-11
NW Tech 10-13 14-15
Coffeyville 8-15 12-17
Dodge City 7-17 9-21
Pratt 6-17 9-20
Seward 6-17 8-21
Colby 6-18 9-22
Independence 0-23 1-28
3-1—Barton 91, Hutchinson 78; Cloud 81, Butler 67; Coffeyville 70, Colby 50; NW Tech 88 Pratt 77; Garden City 86, Dodge City 75; Seward 92 Independence 81
3-5—Barton 93, Colby 69
3-6—Cowley at Butler; Cloud at NW Tech; Pratt at Seward; Coffeyville at Independence; Hutchinson at Garden City
REGION 6 PROJECTED
1 Barton 29-1 vs. 8 Coffeyville 12-17 vs. 9 Dodge City 9-21 winner
2 Cowley 24-4 vs. 7 NW Tech 14-15 vs. 10 Pratt 9-20 or 10 Seward 8-21 winner
3 Hutchinson 24-5 vs. 6 Garden City 18-11 vs. 11 Colby 9-22 or 11 Pratt 9-20 or 11 Seward 8-21 loser
4 Butler 22-7 vs. 5 Cloud 20-9/12 Colby 9-22 or 12 Pratt 9-20 or 12 Seward 8-21 loser
