Hutchinson CC Sports Information
Freshman Bobby Cannon scored a career-high 30 points, but the Hutchinson Community College men's basketball team couldn't slow down the high-scoring Independence Pirates on Saturday at the Sports Arena.
Independence's Chianti Tramble scored a game-high 41 points as the Pirates defeated the Blue Dragons 104-85 in a KJCCC matchup.
The Blue Dragons fall to 14-8 overall and 10-6 in the KJCCC. Hutchinson travels to play No. 12 Coffeyville at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday in Coffeyville. The Pirates, who sweep the season series with Hutchinson, is now 11-10 (7-8 in the KJCCC).
Cannon became the first Blue Dragon since Jayden Garrison (32 points at Garden City on January 14, 2023) to score 30 points in a single game. The freshman was 14 of 20 from the field and 2 of 2 from the free-throw line. Cannon just missed a double-double with eight rebounds and he had a blocked shot.
Independence's Tramble is the second opponent to score at least 40 points against the Dragons this season. His 41 points consisted of 13 of 23 overall shooting, going 4 of 10 from 3-point range and 11 of 12 from the foul line. Tramble added five assists and four rebounds.
After trailing by as many as nine points early in the first half, the Blue Dragons battled back and took a 37-36 lead on a Cannon 12-foot jumper with 3:22 left in the half. The Pirates outscored the Blue Dragons 11-5 over the remainder of the half and led 47-43 at halftime.
Independence built a double-figure lead of 58-47 after a Chris Dockery layup with 17:54 to play in the second half. The Dragons weren't able to get the game back to single figures again.
Four Blue Dragons scored in double figures against the Pirates. Khalil Arnold scored 16 points off the bench. Bo Aldridge finished with 14 points and a season-high six assists. Mikhail Abdul-Hamid had 10 points.
The Blue Dragons shot 45.2 percent (33 of 73), hitting 5 of 21 from 3-point range and 14 of 17 from the free-throw line. The Dragons were out-rebounded 41-31, but the Dragons had only eight turnovers in the game to go against 23 assists.
Independence, the No. 1 scoring team in the KJCCC at 92.1 points per game, shot an opponent season-high 58.5 percent (38 of 65) for the game. The Pirates were 11 of 26 from 3-point range and 17 of 24 from the free-throw line. They had 23 assists and 14 turnovers.
Jahmari Hamilton-Brown came off the bench to score 16 points. Cedric Dixon had 12 points and Dockery added 11 points.
Independence came out hot in building a 12-6 lead just 5:19 into the contest. The Dragons rallied, getting a Kobe Smith 3-pointer to pull within 12-11 with 13:35 left. Arnold hit a long 2-pointer to pull the Dragons within 14-13 with 13:05 to play in the half.
The Pirates build a 34-25 lead with 7:01 remaining, but the Dragons went on a 10-0 run, tying and taking a 35-35 lead after two D.J. Dudley free throws with 3:56 to play. Then Cannon scored with 3:22 remaining in the half for a 37-36 Hutchinson lead.
Independence went on an 11-4 lead to build a 47-41 lead after a Tramble three-point play with 34 seconds left. The Dragons made the halftime deficit 47-43 when Arnold hit a turnaround jumper with 16 seconds left in the half.
The Pirates took full control of the game with a 21-9 run over the first 4:24 of the second half, building a 68-50 lead after a Hamilton-Brown field goal with 15:36 remaining.
The Blue Dragons started chipping away and pulled within 10 points at 77-67 after an Isaiah Jackson three-point play with 5:10 left. The Pirates immediately answered with a 7-0 run to end the Dragon comeback attempt.
GAME NOTES – Bobby Cannon's 14 total field goals were a career high. … The Dragons are now 57-25 all-time against Independence. … The Dragons are 7-5 this season at the Sports Arena. … Kahlil Arnold surpassed the career 300-point mark with 309 points. … This is the first season sweep by the Pirates over the Blue Dragons since the 1986-87 season.