Katie Duncan posted her fourth 20-point game of the season and Delora Pricop added a season-high offensive output as the No. 18-ranked Hutchinson Community College women’s basketball team went into the holiday break on a high note Saturday.
The Blue Dragons moved to 3-0 in games following a loss this season in a 77-67 Jayhawk Conference victory over Cloud County at the Sports Arena.
Hutchinson heads into the holiday break with an 11-3 overall record and a 6-2 mark in the KJCCC. The Blue Dragons will be off until January 3 when the travel to Colby and will next be home on January 7 against Coffeyville. Cloud County is now 5-7 overall and 1-6 in the league.
Duncan led four Blue Dragons to score in double figures with 20 points with a pair of 3-pointers. Duncan added five rebounds and four assists. Duncan had 13 points in the second half.
Pricop posted a season-high 14 points on 6 of 11 shooting including a 3-pointer. Pricop had five rebounds.
Whitney Brown had 16 points, seven assists, four rebounds and a steal. KaMyra Barber finished with 10 points and a team-high eight rebounds.
The Blue Dragons shot 44.8 percent (30 of 67), hitting 5 of 19 from 3-point range and 12 of 17 from the foul line. The Dragons out-rebounded Cloud County 42-38.
Hutchinson had 23 assists and a season-low 10 turnovers.
Shea Wurtz had a double-double with 18 points and 11 rebounds to lead Cloud County. Amanda Makela had 14 points, while Sofija Todorova had 13 points and KJCCC leading scorer Camiah Muldrow had 10 points on 4 of 13 shooting.
Cloud County shot 39.4 percent (29 of 66) for the game, hitting 7 of 18 from 3-point range and 8 of 16 from the free-throw line. The Thunderbirds had eight turnovers.
The Blue Dragons trailed 7-6 with 6:09 remaining in the opening quarter when a Pricop field goal started a 10-0 Blue Dragon run. Duncan capped the run with a steal and layup for a 16-7 lead with 3:35 remaining in the opening quarter. Cloud answered that run with a 8-0 run when Jelena Jankovic scored to pull the Thunderbirds within 16-15 with 1:34 to play in the first quarter. Jamya McPherson scored with 35 seconds left in the period and Hutchinson led 19-16 after 10 minutes.
Leading by three points early in the second quarter, Duncan hit a 3-pointer and Brown added a 2-point basket to build a 26-18 lead with 8:07. Leading 28-24, Pricop hit a hook shot that sparked a 7-0 run. Pricop closed the run with a 3-pointer from the top of the key for a 35-24 lead with 3:11 to play. The Dragons led 38-29 at halftime.
With a 42-34 lead in the third quarter, Duncan drained a 3-pointer for a 45-34 lead. Brown scored and then Duncan followed with a field goal for a 50-36 lead with 4:37 remaining. The Dragons maintained a double-figure lead, but the margin dwindled to 10 late in the period. Noelle Anthon scored with 25 seconds to play for a 60-48 lead heading to the fourth quarter.
Kaia Smith opened the final 10 minutes with a 3-pointer for a 63-48 lead. Cloud County then held the Dragons scoreless for 3 minutes, 25 seconds during an 11-0 run that pulled the Thunderbirds within 63-59 with 6:18 to play. The Dragon lead dwindled to one at 65-64 with 4:10 to play. The Blue Dragons closed the game strong with a 10-3 run. Brown clinched the win with four free throws in the final 30 seconds.
GAME NOTES – The Blue Dragons won their seventh-straight game over Cloud County. The Dragons are 54-28 all-time vs. Cloud County, including 27-12 at the Sports Arena. The Dragons have won nine-straight games over Cloud County at the Sports Arena. … The Dragons are now 67-6 all-time in the John Ontjes era in games following a loss. … This was the fifth game of 20 or more assists this season. … The Dragons are 7-1 at the Sports Arena. … Whitney Brown had her eighth game of five or more assists. … KaMyra Barber had a career-high three blocked shots.
