Top 15 unbeaten Hutch breaks away from MCC

GREAT BEND, Kan. – The No. 15 Hutchinson Community College Blue Dragons poured it on in the second half Friday in the opening game of the Barton Booster Club Classic and took down McCook Community College 88-61.

Both teams shot the ball under 30 percent in the first half and MCC was able to stay close and trailed after 20 minutes 32-27.

“I thought we were really tough in the first half,” said MCC Coach Jacob Brandl. “We executed really well and were right there to give us a chance and the game just got away from us the second half.”

The Blue Dragons hit 24 of 37 second-half shots, forced 29 MCC turnovers in the game and outscored the MCC 56-34 in the final 20 minutes. Hutchinson CC out-scored MCC in the paint 52-28 outscored MCC in second-chance points 23-10 and the Blue Dragon bench out-scored MCC 29-6.

“That’s what Hutch does though,” Brandl said. “They are well-coached and buy into their system and they just keep pressing and keep coming at you. They are tough hard-nosed group.”

Freshman Shemar Dennis (Worcester, Mass.) paced MCC on the scoresheet with 22 points and six rebounds.

Sophomore Damien Perry (Wareham, Mass.) got his first start of the season and scored 11 points from the point-guard position along with five boards and four steals. Backcourt mate DaMiene Boles Jr. (Dayton, Ohio) also scored 11 points and grabbed five rebounds.

The Blue Dragons won the battle on the 49-39, freshman Trey Summers (Greeley, Colo.) was credited with nine to lead the team.

MCC finished the game shooting 35.7 percent on 56 shots and four-for-13 from the 3-point line (30.8 percent). Hutchinson made eight of 30 3-pointers (26.7 percent) and shot 41.7 percent for the game. MCC was 17 of 28 from the free-throw line (60.7 percent) and the Blue Dragons went 10 of 13 from the line (76.9 percent)

“I know what the final says but there really were some positives out if this that we can and have to build on,” Brandl said. “At the end of the day we have to learn from mistakes and get them fixed from players and coaches.”

Hutchinson CC goes to 5-0.

MCC falls to 1-4 and will take on the host Cougars Saturday at 7:30 p.m. Barton County CC started the season 4-0 to start the season and are ranked No. 25 in the most recent National Junior College Athletic Association Top 25 polls.