Bailey Terry/Collegian - Jordan Murdock, Wichita, takes on multiple defenders while driving to the basket later scoring a goal during a home game against Labette on Oct. 30

By Bailey Terry

The Blue Dragon men’s basketball team started off the season with the quarterback Classic over the weekend of Oct. 30-31.

On Halloween, the Dragons played the North Lake College Blazers and won 73-68.

Hutch’s record is now 2-0.

The Dragons came back to win after a 19-point deficit late in the first half.

This was the largest comeback in head coach Steve Eck’s career at Hutch.

During the first half, the Dragons couldn’t make a shot until there was 13 minutes left in the half.

The Dragons were down 1-15 until Jawan Emery, Overland Park, made the first field goal of the game.

Hutch was slowly coming back, until they had four more scoreless minutes.

The score was 19-38 with the Dragons behind 19 points with two minutes to play in the half.

The score at halftime was 23-38.

The first half, the Dragons shooting was at 22%, but they completely changed in the second half jumping to 71% on shooting.

To start off the second half, Hutch had an 18-3 run over five minutes and the deficit was gone. After a layup from Akbar Hoffman, Newark, New Jersey, the end the Dragons’ run, the score was tied 41-41.

With 12 minutes remaining, the Dragons had a 10-0 run finished off by a dunk from Shakur Juiston, Paterson, New Jersey.

The Dragons built a seven-point lead, but it quickly vanished; Hutch was down 61-62 with four minutes to play.

On the next Dragon possession, Hoffman was fouled and made both free throws to take the lead.

Hutch held the lead for the last three minutes of the game.

Another dunk off of a transition down the court from Juiston continued to build the lead.

The Blazers weren’t going away, they hit two three pointers on consecutive possessions.

The score was now 68-66.

To try to take the lead, the Blazers continuously fouled the Dragons.

Hutch made five of six free throws to keep the lead and they took the game.

The score at the end of the game was 73-68 with the Dragons winning their second game of the season.

Hoffman and Bashir Ahmed, Bronx, New York, had 17 points apiece to lead the Dragons.

Juiston had a double-double for the second time this season with 15 points and 15 rebounds.

The fourth Dragon with 10-points or above was Samajae Haynes-Jones, Wichita, who had 14 points.

The Dragons scored 23 points in the first half, but doubled their points in the second half and scored 50 points to win the game.

Hutch held the rebound advantage 36-32.

For the first game of the Quarterback Classic, the Dragons took on Labette on Oct. 30 and easily won.

The score was 83-49.

This was Hutch’s eighth-straight season opening win.

Every Dragon player score at least one point this game, but the leading scorers were Hoffman and Haynes-Jones each had 12 points.

Hutch held their opponents to 15-points in the first half.

The score at halftime was 37-15 with the Dragons ahead.

The Dragons were able to keep their lead to at least 15 points the entire second half and won the game easily 83-49.

The Dragons are scheduled to play in the Blue Dragon classic over Nov. 6-7.

Hutch starts off the tournament against Hesston College on Friday, Nov. 6.

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