CONCORDIA, Kan. - The Dodge City Community College men's basketball team has had a knack from bouncing back from losses throughout this year, and tonight was no different as Sophomore Dreon Lewis hit a game-winning free throw with 7 seconds remaining to give the Conquistadors sole possession of third place in the Kansas Jayhawk Community College Conference with a 104-103 two-overtime victory over Cloud County in Concordia, Kansas on Wednesday, January 18th. 

DC3 is now 13-5 overall and 10-4 in the KJCCC after avenging a loss earlier to the T'Birds by a score of 81-75 in Dodge City to start Jayhawk Conference play. 

In a game that featured 12 ties and nine lead changes, the game featured just about everything it could in a two-overtime thriller including multiple sets of last second heroics. Cloud County would score the first nine points of the game just 1:39 into the game, putting the Conquistadors in an early hole. After cutting the lead to 11-9 with 15:16 left in the first half, Dodge City would then take their first lead of the game less than a minute later on a Harris Brown triple. DC3 would build a lead of six points at 27-21 midway through the first half before Cloud County would tie things five separate times before retaking the lead with 4:48 remaining until halftime. With the Thunderbirds leading 40-35 with 4:26 left until halftime, Dodge City would outscore CCCC 11-5 in the final minutes to take a 46-45 halftime lead. 

A horrific start to the second half saw Cloud County quick build their largest lead of the game at 63-52 with 13:24 remaining in regulation. The Conquistadors would try to claw their way back into the game, but seemed to be held at bay for most of the half and unable to get closer than within three points of Cloud County. A Kourtney Ware three with 1:38 left in regulation would get the Conqs within two at 79-77 before a hoop and harm by Trevon Evans would put the score at 81-80 with 1:17 left. Brown would manage to allow the Conqs to re-take the lead at 82-81 and then a Ware layup with 19 seconds left in regulation put Dodge City up three. Overtime would be necessary though as Deon Lyle would bank in a three with seven seconds remaining to tie the game at 84 as a last-second runner by Mike Jones would rim out. 

In the first OT session, each team would trade leads with DC3 jumping out to a quick four point lead before a 7-0 Cloud County run put the T'Birds up 91-88 with 2:03 left in overtime. The Conqs would fight back and tie the game on another Brown triple before Andrew Ballock put Cloud County back on top with a three of his own with 11 ticks left on the clock. Out of timeouts and needing a desperation three, the Conquistadors would turn to Ware who would heave a shot from the volleyball spike line just past half court and find a way to get it in with 0.6 seconds remaining and send the game into a second overtime tied at 96 all. 

Cloud County would lead for a majority of the second overtime session before a pair of free throws by Brown and a Ware layup would tie things at 100 all. Brown would then foul out with 49 seconds left and the T'Birds would sink both free throws to take a 102-100 lead when Josh Boutte would get fouled on a putback to tie the game. With blood on his uniform, this would force Boutte to the bench and Nick Noskowiak to come in and shoot the free throw which he would drain to put the Conqs back up 103-102. Evans would then foul Rashun Allen with 12 seconds left who would hit one of two free throws to tie things and give Dodge City a chance at the win. Lewis would be fouled with seven seconds left and hit one of two free throws to give DC3 the lead for good as a last-gasp opportunity by Cloud County would go off the side of the backboard. 

Dodge City would end the game 41-74 (55.4%) from the flor and hit 12 of 26 treys (46.2%) with two clutch triples in overtime. Cloud County held a 46-39 rebounding advantage, but would have 13 turnovers lead to 23 DC3 points. The bench woudl also come up big for the Conquistadors, outscoring the T'Bird bench 33-18. 

Ware would finish with 27 points total in the game to lead all scorers while Boutte would finish with 17 points and 13 rebounds. Dayton McGroarty had 11 points off the bench in 15 minutes of action while Brown would net 24 points. The T'Birds were led by 25 points and five rebounds from Lyle. 

A return to the Student Activities Center awaits the Conquistadors, who will play host to Pratt Community College on Saturday, January 21st at 3 p.m. Earlier this season, the Conquistadors had one of their highest scoring outputs of the year in a 104-93 road win at the Beaverdome to pick up their first KJCCC win of the year.