CCCC crushes Conquistadors, 87-55

Saving their best, so far, for the last game prior to the semester break, the Cloud County Community College Thunderbirds rolled to an 87-55 Jayhawk Conference victory over the Dodge City Community College Conquistadors Monday night in Bryant Gymnasium.
Coming off of consecutive road losses at Barton Community College and Butler Community College, the T-Birds got out to a 40-33 halftime lead and then outscored Dodge City 47-22 over the final two quarters to improve to 7-7 overall and 3-5 in conference play.
Cloud County had 10 players score in the game. Five of them scored nine or more points and three finished in double figures.
The T-Birds shot 55 percent (33 of 60) percent from the field and connected on 11 of 20 three-point attempts for 55 percent. They also made 10 of 12 free throws for 83 percent.
“That is the best we have played for an entire game this season. I am pretty happy about that,” Cloud County coach Brett Erkenbrack said. “Dodge City is a really good team. They beat Butler last week and they were 4-3 in the conference coming in.”
The T-Birds will be able to enjoy the win for more than three weeks. They return to action on January 5 with a home game against Coffeyville Community College.
“Everybody needs a break right now. I don’t think there is any team in the conference that doesn’t welcome this Christmas break,” Erkenbrack said. “Everybody is a little banged up and tired. Twenty days is probably a little excessive, but the break is welcomed.”
Cloud County never trailed Dodge City by more than two points in the game.
The Conquistadors, 9-5 overall, led 6-4 when the T-Birds got consecutive three-point baskets by Makayla Twyman and Shakira Smith and a bucket by Kay Hauata Phillips and another three by Twyman to go up, 12-6.
Dodge City would battle back and reclaim the lead at 16-15 when Samantha Koeberer hit a three with 17 seconds on the clock.
Smith, who came off the bench to score 13 of her 15 points in the first half, drove to the basket and scored with time running out to give Cloud County the lead back at 17-16. She finished five of seven from the field, including two of three from three-point range, and also had five assists.
Jada Burton hit a jumper 10 seconds into the second quarter, and Dodge City led 18-17.
Starting with a three-point basket by Smith, the T-Birds went on a 12-2 run to go on top to stay, 29-20.
Paula Puzule capped off the spurt with a three. The freshman guard led Cloud County with 18 points. She made six of seven three-point attempts.
“I was really pleased with our freshman guards, Paula Puzule and Makayla Twyman. I thought both of them played really well Saturday at Butler and both of them continued that good, solid play,” Erkenbrack said.
Shooting 67 percent from the floor, the T-Birds would go up by as many as 12 points, 40-28, in the second period.
Dodge City scored five points in the final 37 seconds to close the gap to 40-33.
The Conquistadors would trim the deficit to three points, 42-39, early in the second half.
A jumper by Kennedy Becker started a 13-3 spurt that pushed the T-Birds’ lead to 55-42.
The Conquistadors hit a three to make it 55-45, but that is as close as they would get.
Cloud County outscored Dodge City 12-1 over the final 3:14 of the period, and led 67-46.
Dodge City would get no closer than 19 points in the fourth quarter as the T-Birds coasted to the win.
Te Araroa Sopoaga joined Puzule and Smith in double figures for Cloud County with 14 points. She also had six assists.
Kennedy Becker scored nine points and grabbed seven rebounds.
“We got good production off the bench from Kennedy Becker and Shakira Smith,” Erkenbrack said.
Rori Cox had seven points to go with eight rebounds and five assists.
The T-Birds finished with 22 assists on the 33 made field goals.
Bree Stephens led Dodge City with 16 points. Burton added 11 points.
The Conquistadors were just 20 of 66 from the field for 30 percent and made just 4 of 24 three-point attempts for 17 percent.