By John Mesh
The Hutchinson Community College women’s and men’s basketball teams swept Fort Hays Tech Northwest Saturday at Max Jones Fieldhouse in Goodland.
The HutchCC men’s basketball team improved to 5-3 overall and 1-1 in KJCCC play by beating Fort Hays Northwest Tech 94-89 in overtime.
The Tiger men dropped to 1-4 overall and 0-2 in league play.
The No. 1-ranked HutchCC women, the defending NJCAA Division I women’s national champions, improved to 8-0 overall and 2-0 in the Kansas Jayhawk Community College Conference with an 88-35 victory.
The Fort Hays Tech Northwest Tiger women’s basketball team dropped to 0-6 overall and 0-2 in league play.
Fort Hays Tech Northwest was formerly Northwest Kansas Tech (before that Northwest Kansas Technical College) and changed its team name from Mustangs to Tigers.
Hutchinson Blue Dragon men 94, Fort Hays Tech Northwest 89 (overtime)
The Blue Dragon men’s basketball team led 39-31 at halftime against Fort Hays Tech Northwest. However, the Blue Dragons were outscored in the second half 46-38.
HutchCC outscored the Tigers 17-12 in overtime.
Hutchinson’s Dimitrius “DJ” Dudley hit a game-tying 3-pointer to send the game into overtime.
It was the second overtime game in a week for the Blue Dragons, who lost to Barton Community College 94-89 Wednesday. Barton is the No. 1-ranked defending NJCAA Division champions.
Jaquez Thornton led the Blue Dragons with 22 points and recorded his second straight 9-assist game.
Bobby Cannon fired in 20 points, grabbed 13 rebounds and blocked 6 shots — all career highs.
Dudley scored 17 points and had 6 rebounds. Ketraleus “Bo” Aldridge had 16 points and 4 rebounds.
Kobe Smith and Khalil Arnold each scored 5 points, Isaiah Jackson added 4, Mikhail Abdul-Hamid 3 and Emmanuel Okitondo 2.
Five Tigers scored in double figures, led by Chase Harris with 24 points. Kalik Sharpe added 15, Idris Williams 14, John Troolin 12 and Marquintez Dixon 11.
Saturday’s match-up between the Blue Dragons and the Tigers was the 17th in a series that began in 2013.
The Blue Dragons are 16-1 against Fort Hays Tech Northwest, including 10 consecutive victories. The Blue Dragons now are 6-1 in games played in Goodland.
With the 5-3 start, first-year HutchCC men’s coach Kyle Fisher improved his career coaching record to 118-45. He was 113-42 at Butler Community College before taking the head coaching post at HutchCC.
No. 1 HutchCC women 88, Fort Hays Tech Northwest 35
In the women’s game, Hutchinson led 17-4 after the first quarter and 38-12 at halftime. The Blue Dragons outscored the Tigers 20-6 in the third quarter to push the score to 58-18.
HutchCC finished the game with a 30-17 run in the fourth quarter for the final 88-35 score.
All 13 Dragon women’s players that suited up scored in the game.
HutchCC All-American candidate Hailey Jackson had 15 points, 10 rebounds, 3 assists and 1 steal. With her first 2 points, Jackson reached the 600-point mark in her Blue Dragon career. She now has 613 career points.
Jaden Wilson scored 11 points and Brynne Katcher 10. Three Blue Dragons scored 9 — Landon Forbes, Noelle Anthon and Dylan Alexander.
Jada Pleasant scored 6, Madi Denison 5, Katie Duncan 4, Zhane Singer 4, Kahlen Norris 2, Honey Cooney 2 and Carly Dameron 2.
Denison grabbed 8 rebounds and Cooney dished off 8 assists. Forbes had 2 steals.
Dekeira Clay led the Tigers with 13 points. Al’asia Brown scored 7 points and grabbed 4 rebounds. Sarah Elfrey grabbed 6 rebounds and blocked 3 shots.
Hutchinson outrebounded the Tigers 51-17.
Saturday’s women’s match-up will be the 15th in series history between Hutchinson and Fort Hays Tech Northwest. The Dragons own a 14-1 series advantage and have never lost in seven trips to Goodland.
Hutchinson women’s coach John Ontjes now has a career record of 491-96. The Blue Dragon women now have won 45 consecutive games.
Hutchinson schedule through December
The Blue Dragon teams host Colby Community College Tuesday. The women’s game starts at 5:30 p.m., followed by the men’s game at 7:30 p.m.
Hutchinson’s teams play at Independence Community College next Saturday. The women’s game starts at 2 p.m., followed by the men’s game at 4 p.m.
HutchCC teams play three games in December. The Blue Dragons host Coffeyville Dec. 4 (5:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.) and Garden City on Dec. 11 (5:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.).
The Blue Dragons finish the first semester Dec. 14 at Cloud County (2 p.m. and 4 p.m.).