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By Bret Mitchell
HCC Sports Information
Saturday, January 12, 2008
DODGE CITY – Sophomore
Amanda Fessenden recorded her fourth career double-double to lead the
Hutchinson Community College women’s basketball team to a 64-51 Jayhawk
Conference Western Division victory over Dodge City on Saturday night at the
Dodge City Civic Center.
Fessenden scored 23
points and grabbed a career high-tying 15 rebounds to lead HCC (14-3, 3-0).
She also tied a career high with six 3-point field goals, going 6 of 9 from
long range.
Fessenden recorded her
third double-double of her sophomore season. She also made a move in several
career statistical charts.
Fessenden now sits alone
in 25th place on the HCC career scoring list with 644 points. She also
passed Chrissy Lawrence (1998) for ninth in career 3-point field goals with
78. The HCC sophomore guard also tied Taya Allen (1996-98) for fifth place
career free throws with 200.
“Fes has always been the
go-to person,” Freshman guard Brittany Hines said.
Freshman Lauren Sparks
was the only other HCC player to score in double figures with 10 points.
Freshman Kylee Naccarato finished with eight points and Hines had seven
points.
Hutchinson shot a
conference season-low 38.7 percent overall (24 of 62) and 9 of 22 from
behind the arc. The No. 2 team in the country in free-throw shooting, HCC
was only 7 of 13 from the line (53.8 percent) against the Conquistadors.
“We didn’t shoot a very
good percentage from the field, and when you’re not making shots against the
zone you have to execute better,” head coach John Ontjes said.
Dodge City (5-13, 0-4)
shot only 36.7 percent from the field (18 of 49). The Conquistadors were 6
of 16 from 3-point range, and 9 of 15 from the line.
April Weaver, who
averages only six points per game, hit four 3-pointers and was 7 of 11 from
the field for a team-high 20 points. Dodge City’s leading scorer, Keri
Rausch, wound up with nine points.
Fessenden got off to a
quick start, converting two of her 3-point field goals on HCC’s first two
HCC possessions, which Weaver countered with a three of her own for an early
6-3 Hutchinson lead.
After another Weaver
three, the Lady Dragons went on a 7-0 run to lead 15-6 with 13:53 on a
Morgan Leatherbury layup.
Dodge City fought back
to within one point twice in the first half, but HCC maintained its lead and
closed the half on a 10-1 run to lead 31-22 at halftime. A pair of treys
from Fessenden and Sparks highlighted the run in which five different Lady
Dragons scored.
Leading 38-31 with 14:40
remaining in the game after Lanikia Lawrence scored, HCC went scoreless for
the next four minutes, and the Conquistadors went on a 10-0 run to gain
their first lead at 39-38 on two Weaver free throws with 11:44 to play.
“We relaxed and got
lackadaisical, and you can’t do that on the road,” Fessenden said.
A Hines layup gave HCC a
one-point edge, but Weaver answered with a 3-pointer to give Dodge City a
44-42 lead with 9:44 remaining in the game.
HCC responded to the
Conquistador challenge.
Hines stepped up again,
nailing a 3-pointer with 8:41 to give her team a 47-45 lead, which was the
fourth, and final, lead change of the game.
Weaver pulled her team
within four at 55-51 with 3:22 remaining. HCC was yet again up to the
challenge, scoring the final nine points to come away with a 64-51 victory.
This is the second
straight road conference win for HCC, still undefeated in conference, who
will return home on Wednesday to play Pratt at 5:30 p.m.
GAME NOTES
– After being outrebounded for only the second time this season in the last
contest against Butler, HCC responded by outrebounding Dodge City 44-33. …
The Lady Dragons have somewhat moved past the turnover problems that plagued
them early in the season, committing only 17 while forcing 20. … HCC has now
won three straight games against the Conquistadors, after previously losing
seven straight.
<HCC-DODGE CITY WOMEN'S BOXSCORE>
OTHER QUOTES
Head Coach John
Ontjes
On Dodge City playing
above its record …
“We knew that they were
a quality team, very well coached, and they played hard. We knew it would
be a tough road game.”
On the shooting
performance …
“We got some good looks,
the ball just wasn’t going in the hole tonight for us. We hit some big
threes in the last five minutes to open the game back up.”
On Brittany Hines
being more aggressive …
“I told her at halftime
to shoot the basketball like she guards. She was phenomenal tonight
guarding, and she hit some big shots for us. She needs to shoot the
basketball with more confidence.”
Sophomore Amanda
Fessenden
On making the first
couple shots …
“When you make the first
couple you have that added confidence. If you miss the first couple, you
start thinking too much.”
On almost having a
double-double at halftime …
“I don’t think about
stats, I just play. I had no idea I was close to a double-double.”
Freshman Brittany
Hines
On the talk with
coach …
“Coach told me that if I
didn’t shoot the ball with confidence I wouldn’t play. I think the talk
worked, it made me want to start over in the second half.” |
