by Hutchinson CC Sports Information
PRATT – The Hutchinson Community College women’s basketball team reached the 25-victory mark for the 13th time in team history Monday night, but the journey wasn’t easy.
The Blue Dragons survived a tough offensive first half and 19 turnovers for the game as No. 10 Hutchinson completed the season sweep of the Pratt Beavers, winning 75-62 on Monday night at the Dennis Lesh Sports Arena.
Monday’s victory was Blue Dragon head coach John Ontjes’ 369th with the Blue Dragons. That ties Ontjes with Darin Spence for fifth place on the Jayhawk Conference and Region VI all-time coaching wins list. Ontjes makes his first attempt at surpassing Wednesday on Wednesday when Dodge City comes to the Sports Arena.
The Blue Dragons improve to 25-1 overall and maintained their tie with Seward County atop the Jayhawk West at 16-1. Seward County defeated Dodge City on Monday night. Pratt falls to 16-9 and 9-8 in the Jayhawk West.
Shots weren’t falling for Hutchison like they were just 48 hours before when the Blue Dragons shot nearly 60 percent in a 42-point win over Garden City on Saturday. On Monday night, The Dragons made just 12 of 30 first-half shot attempts and trailed by as many as six points in the second quarter. Hutch rallied to take a 30-29 lead at halftime.
The Blue Dragons trailed 41-39 with 2 1/2 minutes remaining in the third quarter. The Dragons finally turned things in their favor with an 11-2 run powers by back-to-back-to-back three-point plays from Keeley Tini, Makayla Vannett (Ojibwe) and Tijuana Kimbro to lead 50-43 and the end of three quarters.
Leading 60-57 with 4:25 remaining, the Blue Dragons finally put Pratt away with a game-closing 15-5 run as the Blue Dragons hit 6 of 8 total shots with a pair of 3-pointers and going a perfect 11 of 11 from the foul line in the fourth period.
Sophomore Dejanae Roebuck posted her seventh double-double of the season and 21st of her career with 19 points and 10 rebounds to lead the Blue Dragons. Roebuck moved into 15th place on the Blue Dragon career scoring list (855 points), seventh on the career rebounding list (514) and ninth on the career free-throw list (202).
Vannett finished with 14 points and three assists. Jada Mickens had 11 points and six assists.
Abby Ogle closed with eight points, six rebounds, and seven assists and tied a career high with six steals.
Hutchinson finished shooting 47.9 percent (23 of 48), hitting 5 of 19 from 3-point range and 24 of 31 from the free-throw line. Hutch out-rebounded Pratt 39-18.
Toni Cuellar led Pratt with 16 points, hitting 4 of 6 from 3-point range. ChaDricka Pickett had 12 points, while Courtney Cleveland and Janell Douvier had 11 and 10 points, respectively.
Pratt shot 43.5 percent (20 of 46) for the game after shooting 50 percent in the first half. The Beavers were 7 of 24 from the 3-point line and 15 of 22 from the free-throw line.
The Blue Dragons trailed after the first quarter for the first time this season as four Pickett free throws in the final minute of the period gave Pratt a 16-16 lead. The Blue Dragons trailed 21-15 and 24-18 in the second quarter. An 8-0 run helped the Blue Dragons regain the lead at 26-24 on a Roebuck layup with 3:46 left in the half. Pickett scored with 1:09 left to give Pratt a 29-28 lead, but Mickens scored inside with 34 seconds to play and Hutch led 30-29 at halftime.
Vannett’s 3-pointer started a 7-0 Dragon lead to open the third quarter for a 38-29 lead with 8:33 left. Pratt answered back with a 10-2 run to lead 41-39 after two Douvier free throws with 2:29 to go in the quarter. Milan Schimmel (Umatilla) scored inside to tie the game at 41. The Tini and Vannett converted back-to-back 3-point plays for a 47-41 lead. Picket scored for Pratt, but Kimbro’s three-point play as time expired in the third quarter gave Hutch a 50-43 lead after three quarters.
