HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Daleron Thomas scored a career-high 29 points, but Hutchinson Community College could not overcome a cold-shooting first half and a lopsided rebounding deficit in a 68-60 loss to Barton Community College on Wednesday at the Sports Arena.
The Blue Dragons dropped their seventh straight game and fell to 10-13 overall and 5-12 in KJCCC play.
Thomas went 11 of 17 from the field and hit four 3-pointers to keep Hutchinson within striking distance throughout the second half. Bobby Cannon added 11 points and seven rebounds, while Lolo Rudolph had eight assists as the Blue Dragons finished with 17 assists on 25 made baskets.
Barton set the tone early with its depth and work on the glass. The Cougars built a 12-point lead in the first half and took a 35-24 advantage into the break after shooting 7 of 14 from 3-point range in the opening 20 minutes. Hutchinson, meanwhile, managed just 1 of 10 from beyond the arc in the first half and struggled to generate second chances against Barton’s size.
Hutchinson responded after halftime with its best stretch of the night, opening the second half with a defensive spark and climbing within seven at 37-30. Thomas scored 17 of his points after the break, including a pair of 3s that helped the Blue Dragons pull within 58-49 with 2:36 to play.
Each time Hutchinson threatened, Barton answered with a big possession. The Cougars got 33 bench points and turned multiple offensive rebounds into extra opportunities, finishing with a 45-29 edge on the boards and 16 second-chance points. Jayden Ramirez led Barton’s reserves with 15 points on 6-of-9 shooting, and Noah Williams scored 12 points. Barton also had three players with nine points and totaled 18 assists.
Hutchinson shot 41.0% overall but went 4 of 24 from 3-point range and 6 of 11 at the free-throw line. Barton shot 39.7%, made 7 of 21 from deep and went 15 of 18 at the stripe to close out the win.
The Blue Dragons travel to Arkansas City on Saturday to face Cowley. Tipoff is set for 6 p.m.