For the ninth time this season out of 18 games the Dodge City men's basketball team squared off with a team ranked or receiving votes this time it was against Hutchinson who was receiving votes in the latest NJCAA rankings. The Conquistadors took the game to the wire but fell just short against the Blue Dragons.
The loss drops the Conqs to 6-12 on the season and 3-9 in KJCCC action as they prepare for the second half of the season in KJCCC play.
Each team wasted no time to get a bucket in the first minute as the Conqs led 3-2 and the lead would change hands several times throughout the contest. Five minutes into the contest the Conqs trailed 11-10 and it remained that way for a minute or so until a
Jayse Boatwright layup to flip the lead at 12-11 to the Conqs. The lead would stay with the Conqs never growing to more than four, until the 7:15 minute mark when a free-throw by Hutchinson even things up at 20-20. Blue Dragons would push their lead to four at 30-26 with just over a minute left and at halftime the Conqs trailed 30-27.
Conqs opened the second half on an 11-2 run working to a 38-32 advantage four minutes into the second half as
Derrick Rivers and
Mynor Strong accounted for all 11 points. Hutchinson regained the lead at 44-43 at the under-12 media timeout and would push it up to a seven-point advantage. Conqs continued to keep it close and behind a
Jamari Gamble jumper drew within one point at 63-62 with one minute remaining. Down three the Conqs got a layup on an inbounds play by
Keshawn Brown Jr. to make it 65-64 but the Blue Dragons would make four free throws to ice the game 69-64.
The Conqs shot just 34.4% in the contest while Hutchinson countered by shooting 51.8% in the contest to overcome 16 turnovers. Conqs only had nine turnovers in the loss but would lose the battle of the boards 45-33.
Rivers paced the Conqs with 21 points on 7-16 shooting and 4-4 free throws adding a career-high nine rebounds, three assists, and five steals. Strong chipped in 11 points, Brown Jr finished with 12 points and Gamble added 10.
Conqs are set to start the second time through the Jayhawk Conference on Wednesday, January 22nd when they host rival Garden City at 7:30 pm.
