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Hutch turns back CCCC, 60-49

Too many empty possessions during a crucial stretch in the fourth quarter proved costly for the Cloud County Thunderbirds.
Cloud County held eighth-ranked Hutchinson Community College, the highest scoring team in the Jayhawk Conference, to 25 points under its season average, but turned the ball over seven times in the first 8:30 of the fourth quarter.
Taking advantage of those miscues by the Thunderbirds, the unbeaten Blue Dragons were able to pull away to a 60-49 victory Wednesday night in Bryant Gymnasium.
“Those empty possessions were what killed us. They just hurt really, really bad,” Cloud County coach Brett Erkenbrack said.
Cloud County heads into the semester break at 10-4 overall and 3-2 in Jayhawk Conference play.
“It is hard to feel real good when your last game before Christmas ends up as a loss,” Erkenbrack said, “But overall, to be 10-4 overall and 3-2 in the conference, it could have been worse, it could have been better. I think we have gotten better. I have seen a lot improvement in our play, especially in the conference season.”
The T-Birds will not return to action until January 5 with a road game against Northwest Kansas Technical College.
“I think the break comes at a good time. I think we need to be refreshed, recharged mentally and physically,” Erkenbrack said.
Cloud County trailed Hutchinson (12-0 overall and 5-0 in the conference) by just two points, 41-39, heading into the fourth quarter.
The Blue Dragons opened that final period with a 9-2 spurt to extend the lead to 50-41.
Cloud County turned the ball over six times and had four missed shots during that stretch.
Cassidy Haufler scored four straight points and Kamryn Collins got a steal and a layup to pull the T-Birds with in three points, 50-47, with 2:57 to play in the game.
Haufler scored 17 points and grabbed 13 rebounds in the game.
“I thought Cassidy Haufler was really good most of the night. She had a big night, and I don't know if we had a really good performance out of anyone else, and that was kind of the message in the game,” Erkenbrack said, “At some point in time this year I think we are going to have three, four or five players play well at the same time, but it is hard to beat a good Hutchinson team without having two to three people play real well.”
With the T-Birds missing on consecutive three-point attempts and committing another turnover, Hutchinson scored eight points in a span of 1:23 to open up a 58-47 advantage.
Haufler scored with 58 seconds to play to make it 58-49.
The T-Birds could draw no closer.
“We battled. It was a three-point game with about two and a half minutes to go,” Erkenbrack said, “We had a couple of bad decisions, had a couple of real bad possessions in a row that we didn't have our post people touch it. We shot a couple of threes that we missed. Didn't get back defensively, and game over.”
Haufler was the only T-Bird to score in double figures.
Scout Frame, limited because of foul trouble, scored nine points.
The T-Birds shot just 30 percent (17 of 56) from the field and turned the ball over 23 times.
Dejanae Roebuck led Hutchinson with 20 points.
Abby Ogle and Makayla Johnson scored 10 points each.
Cloud County, despite Frame picking up three fouls, led Hutchinson by as many as four points in the early going.
The Blue Dragons scored the final six points of the first quarter, and the first two of the second, to go up 18-14.
Limited to six points in the first 8:40 of the second period, the T-Birds fell behind 30-20.
Cloud County closed the gap to 32-25 at halftime.
Trailing 36-27 in the third quarter, the T-Birds got a pair of three-point baskets by Emmiley Hendrixson during a 10-0 spurt, and reclaimed the lead at 36-36.
Hutchinson scored five straight points to go back on top, 41-37.
A basket by Chase Siedlik left Cloud County trailing just 41-39 heading into the final 10 minutes of play.
After falling behind by nine points, the T-Birds climbed back within three, but couldn't overtake the Blue Dragons.

 

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