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GCCC men's basketball routs Pratt, 95-64
Published 2/18/2010 in Sports
By MIKE KESSINGER
mkessinger@gctelegram.com
It seemed only appropriate that Eric Griffin ended Wednesday's Jayhawk Conference Western Division clash at Perryman Athletic Complex with a slam dunk.
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Brad Nading/Telegram Garden City Community CollegeÕs Solomon Brown, left, pulls up in the lane for a shot over PrattÕs Jay Valerius on Wednesday at Perryman Athletic Complex.
In the previous 39 minutes, the Garden City Community College men's basketball team had simply slammed Pratt. So, when Griffin slid under the basket and with one hand power dunked the ball to the crowd's delight in the final 10 seconds it was the definition of the what the game was — a rout.
"We've got a long ways to go, there were no trophies handed out tonight," GCCC coach Kris Baumann said after his team ran over Pratt 95-64. "Last time I checked we're still in sixth place (in the conference). You start feeling really good about yourself that's when people start drilling you. We have a long ways to go."
Right as Baumann may be with three games left on the regular season schedule, there's no questioning the Bronbusters may be the hottest team around. Starting with a 13-point win Feb. 2 at then conference-leading and No. 9-ranked Hutchinson, GCCC (14-12, 6-7) has won four straight. All coming in dominating fashion. The Busters blew out Barton County by 28, in which they led by 48 in the second half, then Sunday, GCCC ran by Colby, 74-61. Wednesday, the Busters never allowed Pratt to get in the game. Through the first 20 minutes, guard Vince Banks buried Pratt almost by himself. The sophomore scored 22 of his game-high 28 points before the break. He was 9-of-13 in the first half, including 4-of-6 from 3-point range.
"It was good," Banks said of the win. "It was just all in the game plan. We listened to the coaches."
Banks scored 27 the first time the two met, in which Pratt won by three in overtime. This time no extended minutes were needed to decide the winner. When Banks wasn't knocking down long shots, including two that were more than six feet behind the 3-point arc, others stepped up. Griffin, a 6-foot-8 forward, dunked five times, most of them coming on transition opportunities. He finished with 16 points off 8-of-10 shots.
Chris McHenry scored 18 points, including five 3-pointers, and sophomore center Martel Jackson added 14. Point guard Bobby Wesley, who was battling a little bit of illness, made it long enough to dish out six assists. With just more than a minute left in the first half, Wesley brought the ball up court against defensive pressure and vomited as he crossed half court.
"I think we're playing better at home," Baumann said. "That's what good teams are supposed to do. Great teams go win on the road. That's what we have to do, we have to find a way to win on the road."
The Busters took a 47-26 lead into halftime and never allowed the Beavers within 20 points from there. The Busters took it's largest lead at 73-42 on a Michael Morales layup. And that's where the final margin remained.
GCCC outrebounded Pratt 50-32, and the Busters were 37-of-73 (50.7 percent) from the floor.
Compared to the Busters 2-6 start in conference play there is just one way Banks describes the difference in the team from then to now.
"Effort and dedication," he said.
Tyrone Gordon led Pratt (18-9, 7-6) with 18 points.
GCCC will be on the road Saturday at Cloud County in Concordia for an 8 p.m. tipoff.
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GCCC 95, Pratt 64
PRATT (18-9, 7-6) -- Baldwin 3-4 4-6 10, Beck 2-9 0-0 5, Rutherford 2-8 1-1 6, Hayes 1-6 0-0 2, Thomas 3-7 2-7 10, Smith 2-6 0-0 6, Valerius 2-3 3-8 7, Gordon 6-9 4-7 18, Reese 0-0 0-0 0, Hall 0-1 0-0 0. Totals — 21-53 14-29 64.
GCCC (15-12, 6-7) — Burley 1-2 0-1 2, Jackson 5-13 4-4 14, McHenry 6-11 1-2 18, Wesley 1-4 2-2 4, Banks 11-16 1-2 28, Phillips 0-3 0-0 0, Morales 3-5 1-2 7, Jirmnson 1-6 1-4 3, Farris 1-1 0-0 3, Griffin 8-10 0-1 16, Brown 0-2 0-0 0. Totals — 37-73 10-18 95.
Halftime — GCCC, 47-26. 3-point goals — Pratt 8-23 (Thomas 2-5, Smith 2-3, Gordon 2-2, Rutherford 1-7, Beck 1-5, Hayes 0-1); GCCC 11-23 (McHenry 5-9, Banks 5-7, Farris 1-1, Jirmnson 0-3, Phillips 0-2, Wesley 0-1). Rebounds — Pratt 32 (three with 4); GCCC 50 (Griffin, Morales 8). Assists — Pratt 6 (Gordon 2); GCCC 18 (Wesley 6). Blocks — Pratt 2 (Thomas, Smith 1); GCCC 3 (Griffin 2). Steals — Pratt 2 (Hayes, Valerius 1); GCCC 7 (Banks, Griffin 2). Fouled out — GCCC, Morales. Team fouls — Pratt 19, GCCC 23. Turnovers — Pratt 14, GCCC 8. Technicals — GCCC, Burley.
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