Box Score

Year two under Head Coach, Brad Witherspoon for the Dodge City men's basketball team started as the calendar flipped to November the Conquistadors are presented with one of the toughest schedules to open the basketball season. The season started with the Conqs taking on Howard, who is receiving votes in the NJCAA Division I preseason rankings, at the Midland Classic. 

The Conqs would hang tough with Howard and be within three points in the final 30 seconds of the contest but ultimately were unable to come back falling 66-59. 

Falling behind 18-6 over the first eight minutes the Conqs struggled to find offense early, but the things settled in, and over the next nearly four minutes would go on a 14-3 run to draw within one point at 21-20. The Conqs would never be able to tie or take the lead but would hang around and trail just 31-27 at intermission. Early in the second half Howard would extend the lead back to the nine-to-10-point range and use that cushion to keep the Conqs at bay. The Conqs would not go away quietly keeping the action close and in the final minute of action down six got a bucket and free throw from Gavin Shannon to make it a three-point game at 62-59 with 30 seconds remaining. Howard would secure the win via free throws taking the contest 66-59. 

In the loss, the Conqs shot 32.8% from the field and had 23 turnovers, while only being able to connect on four three-pointers. Marius Canery paced the Conqs with 21 points on 8-14 shooting including 4-6 from three-point range, while Shannon added a double-double with 14 points and 12 rebounds as he was 6-8 from the free throw line. 

Back in action on Thursday, November 2nd at the Midland Classic for the Conqs the task at hand perhaps gets tougher with #7 Midland up next at 5:00 pm for the Conqs.