For the first time in 40 years, the Dodge City men's basketball program has claimed a Region Championship as they beat Hutchinson 98-96 in overtime to secure the Region VI Championship title and an automatic bid to the NJCAA Division I National Tournament.  
 
The win moves the Conquistadors to 29-4 on the season which matches the single-season win total in school history. The win also is the eighth this season over a team ranked in the Top 25 or receiving votes and extended the Conqs win streak to 12-straight games. 
 
It was a nip-tuck-tight battle throughout the first half with the Conqs holding the lead a majority of the first half over the Blue Dragons of Hutchinson and led 45-36 going into halftime. The second half continued the tight battle and both teams held a lead multiple times over the final five minutes of regulation. Hutchinson led 84-83 with 57 seconds remaining and with 29 seconds left Nick Pringle hit his second of two free throws to tie the game. The Blue Dragons with miss a three-point opportunity in the final seconds to send the game to overtime. Both teams traded jabs in overtime and Themus Fulks drained a pair of free-throws to make it 96-94 Conqs with 44 seconds remaining but Hutchinson answered with a basket to tie the game and the Conqs put together a play with 22 seconds remaining which nearly ended in a turnover but finished with a Kerwin Prince bucket and 98-96 Dodge City victory. 
 
Conqs for the 17th time this season shot over 50% in a game shooting 54.5% and had 11 fewer shot attempts than Hutchinson in the contest. 
 
Fulks led the team with a career-high 33 points on 10-15 shooting and 13-16 from the free-throw line while adding four rebounds and five assists. Kalen Williams chipped in 16 points and six assists, while Prince finished with 14 points and five rebounds. Pringle tallied 11 points and grabbed nine rebounds. Fulks was named Region Tournament MVP, while Williams was also selected to the All-Tournament team. 
 
The Conqs now turn their attention to the NJCAA DI National Tournament which will take place March 14th-19th in Hutchinson at the Hutchinson Sports Arena. Conqs seed in the tournament and full bracket will be released at 5:30 pm on Sunday, March 6th on the NJCAA Network with a special selection show.