HUTCHINSON, Kan. (BlueDragonSports.com) – Freshman Bo Aldridge poured in a season-high 22 points to lead the No. 15-ranked Hutchinson Community College men’s basketball team to a 72-60 victory over Labette in the final game of the BSN Sports Tip-Off Classic on Saturday at the Sports Arena.
The Blue Dragons improved to 3-0 to start the season and will close a four-game season-opening homestand on Tuesday with a 7 p.m. matchup against the Kansas City Blue Devils. Labette fell to 1-4.
Aldridge hit 9 of 10 field-goal attempts in his season-high output. Aldridge was 2 of 2 from 3-point range and 2 of 2 from the free-throw line. Aldridge added a season-high eight rebounds to and he added four assists.
Khalil Arnold and Bobby Cannon had 10 points each as the only other Blue Dragons to score in double figures. Arnold was 5 of 7 from the field with two rebounds and two assists. Cannon came off the bench to score 3 of 6 shooting with a 3-pointer. Cannon had four rebounds, three assists, three blocked shots and two steals.
Jaquez Thornton finished with nine points, while Isaiah Jackson had eight points.
The Blue Dragons shot a season-high 56.3 percent (27 of 48) overall, hitting 5 of 15 from 3-point range and 13 of 19 from the free-throw line.
Jackson had a career-high 13 rebounds to lead the Dragons to a 36-21 rebounding advantage. The Dragons had to overcome 21 turnovers.
Joshua Thornton had 16 points and Nyoul Arop had 10 points to lead Labette, which shot 43.6 percent (24 of 55) overall, 3 of 16 from the 3-point like and 9 of 16 from the free-throw line. The Cardinals had 14 turnovers and an opponent season-high 14 steals.
Trailing 7-4 after 3 1/2 minutes, Thornton sank a 3-pointer and Aldridge hit two free throws for a 9-7 Dragon lead with 15:36 left in the opening half. Tied at 11, Cannon hit a 3-pointer with 14:09 to give the Blue Dragons the lead for good at 14-11.
Cannon’s 3-pointer sparks an 8-0 run to build a 19-11 lead after a Thornton jumper with 9:56 to play in the first half. The Dragons had a first-half best 13-point lead at 30-17 after an Aldridge 3-pointer with 6:17 to play. They matched at 13-point lead after Jackson scored for a 35-22 lead with 3:12 to play in the opening half.
The Dragons went scoreless for the remainder of the first half and Labette went on an 8-0 run to close the half and cut the Hutchinson lead to 35-30 at halftime.
Labette pulled within 39-36 after a Brandon Moya-Almonte free throw with 17:26 to play in the second half. Again the Blue Dragons had an answer with a 8-3 run and took a 47-39 lead after two Cannon free throws with 15:03 to play.
The Blue Dragons grew the lead to double figures with an Aldridge dunk and a Cannon jumper for a 55-43 lead with 9:05 left in the game. The lead grew to a game-high 15 points at 66-51 after an Aldridge layup and Arnold jumper.
Labette cut the lead to nine at 69-60 with 47 seconds left, but the Dragons hit three free throws down the stretch to finish out their 12-point victory.
GAME NOTES – The Blue Dragons are now 6-0 all-time in the BSN Sports Tip-Off Classic. .. The Dragons are 36-14 all-time vs. Labette, including 27-7 in games played in Hutchinson. … The Dragons have won six games in a row against Labette. … This was all-time win No. 1,926 for the Blue Dragons.
