Late shot sends Dodge City past CCCC

DODGE CITY — A determined run at a second road win this season over a team ranked in the top 10 in the nation ended in heartbreaking fashion for the Cloud County Community College Thunderbirds.
Themus Fulks knocked down a contested shot in the lane with 2.8 seconds on the clock to give the sixth-ranked Dodge City Community College Conquistadors a 73-71 Jayhawk Conference victory over the upset-minded T-Birds on Saturday afternoon.
Cloud County, which notched an 87-82 win over then eighth-ranked Hutchinson Community College back on January 19, led Dodge City by as many as 10 points, 53-43, in the second half.
The Conquistadors would use a 21-7 run to take a 64-60 advantage when Nick Pringle scored with 5:10 remaining.
A three-point basket by Nate Duckworth pulled Cloud County within a point, 64-63.
The two teams traded baskets and Pringle made one of two free throws to give Dodge City a 67-65 cushion.
Joe Kearney scored on a drive, Cloud County came up with a steal and Malang Athian finished off a fast break with a dunk to give the T-Birds the lead back at 69-67.
Forcing another Dodge City turnover, the T-Birds had a chance to extend the lead by a three-point attempt by Kearney but it was off the mark.
Fulks drove to the basket and scored to tie the game at 69-69 with 1:30 on the clock.
Duckworth missed a jump shot and Dodge City came away with the defensive rebound.
Kalen Williams drew a foul with 52 seconds to play. He made both free throws, and the Conquistadors led 71-69.
Justin Graham took a pass from Corey Sawyer Jr. and scored on a dunk to pull Cloud County even at 71-71 with 36 seconds to play.
Dodge City ran the clock down under 10 seconds when Williams had a shot attempt blocked by Graham. The ball went out of bounds off of Cloud County with five seconds remaining on the shot clock and 7.8 seconds left in the game.
Fulks drove into the lane and got a well-guarded shot to give the Conquistadors a 73-71 lead.
A three-quarter court heave by Joe Kearney was well off the mark and Dodge City escaped with the win.
Suffering a fourth consecutive defeat, the T-Birds fall to 11-15 overall and 7-13 in the Jayhawk Conference.
Dodge City improved to 13-0 at home this season and is 22-4 overall and 17-3 in the conference.
The Conquistadors have a three-game lead in the conference standings with four regular season games remaining.
Cloud County fell behind 9-2 to start the game and was down 20-14 when they got baskets by Athian, Savian Edwards and Graham to pull even at 20-20.
The two teams would go back and forth over the next three minutes and it was 26-26.
Graham scored inside and Kearney made a three to give the T-Birds a 31-26 lead.
Kearney was four of nine from three-point range in leading Cloud County with 18 points.
Dodge City closed the gap to 32-31 before an 8-2 spurt put the T-Birds up 40-33.
Two free throws by BJ Freeman with 1.7 seconds on the clock left the Conquistadors trailing 40-35 at halftime.
Sawyer Jr. scored the first two points of the second half to push Cloud County’s lead to 42-35.
Scoring the next five points, the Conquistadors closed the gap to 43-40.
A three by Kearney started an 11-3 run that gave the T-Birds their largest lead at 53-43.
Dodge City then responded with a 15-2 spurt to go back on top 58-55.
Trailing 60-57, the T-Birds got a three by Kearney to tie it up.
Four straight points by Pringle put the Conquistadors up 64-60.
That set up the frantic final minutes that Fulks capped off with his game winner.
Led by Kearney, the T-Birds had four players score in double figures.
Sawyer Jr. scored 13 points and handed out four assists.
Graham finished with 12 points, seven rebounds and three assists.
Athian, who was five of five from the field, added 11 points, five rebounds and four assists.
The T-Birds shot 54 percent (27 of 50) from the field and had 16 assists and just 10 turnovers.
Pringle scored a career-high 20 points for Dodge City. Fulks scored 11 and Oumar Koureissi chipped in 10.
Cloud County hits the road again tonight for a game against Coffeyville Community College.