Region VI women: Hutchinson stays perfect with easy win
There isn’t much to discern the No. 1 Hutchinson Community College women’s team from the teams that finished second, third and second in the NJCAA tournament the last three seasons.
Coach John Ontjes can spot one unique facet, and it’s one with which he’s familiar as the Hutchinson’s men’s program career assists leader.
“We have a group that are really good passers and they really share the basketball,” Ontjes said after Friday’s Region VI semifinal win. “That’s really what we’ve done well in the Region tournament.”
The Blue Dragons average 22 assists, and they had 24 in an easy 81-47 win over Independence, their 14th win this season by at least 30 points.
Passing opens up greater possibilities for balanced scoring. Shakira Harding, who averages 6.7 points, scored a career-high 18 on Friday. She picked up the slack from starting point guard Alyx Bloom, who battled foul trouble.
Hutchinson has two single-digit victories this season but may await a challenge in Saturday’s championship game against Coffeyville. Hutchinson beat Coffeyville 78-66 on Nov. 22, the Blue Dragons’ smallest margin of victory at home this season and the most points they’ve allowed.
“We turned it over quite a bit the first time that we played them,” Ontjes said. “Their three-quarter(-court) trap really bothered us. That’s what gave us difficulties the first time that we played them.”
INDEPENDENCE: Jackson-Brewer 6-15 1-1 14, Smith 0-4 0-0 0, Costa 4-10 1-3 10, Cetin 5-11 0-0 12, Robinson 0-6 2-2 2, Barlow 0-2 4-4 4, Battle 0-0 0-0 0, Berzina 0-2 2-2 2, Famrer 1-2 1-2 3, Milum 0-0 0-0 0, Williams 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 16-53 11-14 47.
HUTCHINSON: Harding 6-9 3-5 18, Petke 4-7 5-6 13, Bloom 3-7 1-3 8, Purcell 4-9 6-8 14, LeFebvre 6-9 0-0 15, Madden 2-3 0-0 4, McNair 2-5 0-0 4, Jones 2-4 0-1 5, Ogunjimi 0-0 0-0 0, Daughhetee 0-0 0-0 0, Godinet 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 29-54 15-23 81.
Halftime—Hutchinson 42, Independence 26. Three-point shooting—Independence 4-16 (Cetin 2-4, Costa 1-2, Jackson-Brewer 1-5, Berzina 0-1, Robinson 0-1, Smith 0-3); Hutchinson 8-17 (LeFebvre 3-3, Harding 3-5, Jones 1-2, Bloom 1-4, Ogunjimi 0-1, McNair 0-2). Rebounds—Independence 23 (Cetin 4); Hutchinson 45 (Purcell 17). Total fouls—Independence 17, Hutchinson 14. Assists—Independence 7 (Costa 3); Hutchinson 24 (Harding, Bloom 6).
Coffeyville 78, Seward 75
COFFEYVILLE: Carranza 6-10 0-0 12, Cosper 7-13 7-10 24, Khammarath 5-13 1-1 12, Kiploks 3-14 1-1 7, Curtis 8-20 2-2 18, Brown 1-6 0-0 3, Baldwin 0-5 2-2 2. Totals 30-81 13-16 78.
SEWARD: Bernard 4-5 0-0 8, Davis 7-18 2-2 17, Galindo 7-18 1-2 20, Hatchard 2-15 2-2 7, Artis 6-17 5-6 21, Jordan 1-2 0-0 2. Totals 27-75 10-12 75.
Halftime–Coffeyville 34-27. Three-point shooting – Coffeyville 5-13 (Cosper 3-4, Brown 1-2, Khammarath 1-3, Kiploks 0-4), Seward 11-35 (Galindo 5-15, Artis 4-8, Davis 1-3, Hatchard 1-8, Jordan 0-1). Rebounds – Coffeyville 59, Seward 41. Fouls – Coffeyville 12, Seward 12. Assists – Coffeyville 19 (Khammarath 5), Seward 16 (Hatchard 6).
This story was originally published March 6, 2015 at 10:34 PM with the headline "Region VI women: Hutchinson stays perfect with easy win."