It's a new calendar year and it marked a return to the win column for the Dodge City men's basketball team as they fended off Northwest Kansas Tech to grab an 82-78 win. 
 
The Conquistadors improved to 6-8 on the season and 4-4 in KJCCC action, while marking the eighth straight win over the Mavericks in the series. 
 
Back-and-forth and a tight contest over the first nearly seven minutes with neither team holding a lead of more than three points until Northwest Kansas Tech led 19-14 with just over 13 minutes left in the first half. The Mavericks would maintain the lead until a Chevalier "Ice" Emery three-pointer with 8:41 remaining in the first half to tie the game up at 26-26. The game would be tied 28-28 with just under seven and a half minutes left in the half and the Conqs would finish the first half strong outscoring the Mavericks 17-4 to lead 45-32 at halftime. The lead would remain double figures for the Conqs until the seven-minute mark of the contest as Northwest Kansas Tech drew within nine points and the Conqs lead would be whittled down to one at 76-75 with just over two minutes. The Mavericks would have a chance to tie the game down three late but would be fouled and go 1-2 from the charity stripe and then quickly fouled and Hunter Duncan would seal the game for the Conqs with a pair of free throws to make it 82-78. 
 
Conqs finished the game shooting 43.1% while holding Northwest Kansas Tech to 39.4% shooting and just 3-16 from three-point range. 
 
Emery led the Conqs with 20 points on 6-10 shooting and 5-6 from the free throw line along with five assists. Duncan chipped in 16 points with eight rebounds and four assists, while Jamari Gamble added 12 points and six rebounds. Gavin Shannon contributed 10 points and six rebounds, while Jackson Swartz grabbed a career-high 15 rebounds and Tyree Jackson matched his career-high with nine points. 
 
Conqs hit the road to continue the season on Saturday, January 6th traveling to Liberal to take on Seward County at 6:00 pm.