|
By Steve Carpenter
HCC Sports Information Director
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
CONCORDIA – Cloud County held the Hutchinson
Community College men’s basketball team to a season-low 36.4 percent
shooting as the Thunderbirds put a halt to HCC’s 12-game winning streak with
a 73-62 victory on Wednesday night at the Thunderdome.
Hutchinson (17-5) suffered its first loss in
the Jayhawk West (7-1) at the midway point of the conference season. It also
ended its longest winning streak since a run of 16-straight victories in the
2003-04 season. The Blue Dragons till maintain a one-game lead over Seward
County and Cloud County in the Jayhawk West.
“This lets us know we can be beaten, and
hopefully we learn from the mistakes we made tonight,” HCC sophomore Lamar
Falley said. “Hopefully this loss gets us eager to go back out and win
again.”
The Dragons shot less than 40 percent for the
first time this season and produced the second-lowest offensive output of
the season. HCC shot 20 of 55 (36.4 percent) overall and 4 of 13 (30.8
percent from 3-point range. The Dragons really struggled in the second half,
shooting just 10 of 32 from the field (31.3 percent).
HCC also hit 18 of 23 free throws, but
committed 22 turnovers, in which Cloud County turned into 24 points. The
Dragons were also outrebounded 43-37.
Sophomore Bobby Maze and freshman Antonio
Weary had 13 points each to lead Hutchinson. Sophomore Lamar Falley finished
with 11 points.
Sophomore Ken Bowman was held to
single-figure scoring for the first time this season, finishing with eight
points and eight rebounds. Bowman also had a career-high six blocked shots.
Sophomore Adbul Herrera also had eight points.
“I don’t subscribe to the theory that a loss
is a good thing,” HCC head coach Ryan Swanson said. “Judging from the
performance tonight, we got out-toughed in spots and didn’t execute in
spots, and that falls totally on my shoulders.”
Jemal Farmer had 22 points and nine rebounds
to lead Cloud County (14-8, 6-2). Oleg Kovalov went 11 of 11 from the
free-throw line and finished with 14 points in just 6 1/2 minutes of playing
time. Girod Adams, who drew the primary defensive assignment on HCC’s Maze,
had 13 points.
Cloud County shot just 23 of 60 (38.3
percent), but were 5 of 10 from 3-point range and was 22 of 32 from the
free-throw line. Cloud County committed 19 turnovers.
A key statistics was that Cloud County pulled
down 19 offensive rebounds that the T-Birds converted into 16 points.
The Blue Dragons led throughout most of the
first half, building a 13-5 lead at the 11:20 mark of the half after two
Maze free throws. Throughout the game, though, the Dragons misfired
offensively in several situations with opportunities to increase the lead.
After building that eight point lead,
Hutchinson was outscored 19-9 over the next eight minutes and the
Thunderbirds took their first season at 24-22 on a Farmer 3-point goal with
3:09 to play. There were four more lead changes over the next two minutes,
but the T-Birds inched out to a 31-27 lead with 50 seconds left to play. A
Bowman basket brought HCC to within 31-29 at halftime.
The Dragons scored six straight points early
in the second half to take a 35-33 lead. From that point there were six more
lead changes. Maze’s steak and layup with 8:20 to play gave HCC a 48-46
lead, but a Rudy Meo three-point play provided the final lead change of the
game and gave Cloud County a 49-48 lead with 7:33 to play.
From that juncture, the Dragons scored just
three field goals and were outscored 29-14. The Dragons never had the game
to a single possession in the final minutes.
The Blue Dragons will have Saturday off with
their second conference bye of the season. HCC travels to Seward County next
Wednesday night for a battle with the second-place Saints.
GAME NOTES
– The only offensive output worse than Wednesday’s was a 60-point effort in
a victory at Dodge City on Jan. 12. … With his six blocked shots, Ken Bowman
jumped two spots on the HCC career blocked shot list with 71. … Abdul
Herrera’s run of consecutive made field goals ended at 11 straight. … HCC
had a season-low 12 assists. … Cloud County’s Kovalov tied season highs for
a Blue Dragon opponent in free throws made and free throws attempted with is
11 of 11 performance. … Opposing teams have gone 28 straight games shooting
less than 50 percent. … Maze is in sole possession of sixth place on HCC’s
single-season assist list with 165. … HCC is now 3-2 on the road. … HCC is
now 34-13 vs. Cloud County all time and 12-10 in Concordia. … HCC is now 2-3
when getting outrebounded.
<HCC
MEN-CLOUD COUNTY BOXSCORE>
OTHER QUOTES
Head Coach Ryan Swanson
On the physical play of the game …
“That’s toughness. Not getting rebounds,
letting people knock the ball out of our hands. ... That’s a lack of mental
concentration, and that shot was huge.”
Sophomore Lamar Falley
On the offensive struggles …
“We just weren’t clicking tonight. But you’ll
have games like that. We just can't lose our focus.”
Sophomore Antonio Weary
On defending Cloud County …
“Boxouts were big thing. We didn't lock up
like we usually do.”
On getting the second bye of the
conference season on Saturday …
“I think it’s a good time for us to get back
in the gym, watch some film and learn from those mistakes. |
