Men’s basketball team goes 1-1 this weekend

Pratt Community College’s men’s basketball team traveled to Chanute, Kan. over the weekend.
“We finally experienced some action resembling what we will encounter on a nightly basis in January and February when Jayhawk West play heats up,” said Jesse Shaw, head coach.
 
In PCC’s first road game they exchanged blows with Neosho County for the first 25 minutes of battle before Neosho took control with a large comfortable lead late in the game.
 
Shaw said the guys showed a lot of heart though, battling back when it looked like all hope was gone, and Armani Brown hit a three-pointer with five seconds left to cut the lead to three. The Beaver’s essentially needed a steal or two missed free throws from Neosho to have a chance to send the game to overtime, but neither happened, and the final score read 86-90.
 
Bryton Hobbs lead the way with 24 points, seven assists and five steals, and John Rutherford had eight points and six steals, the majority of those steals coming in the second half of the game.
 
The team turned right back around to play Allen County, for the second time this year.
 
“We looked tired and unmotivated to play Allen, and I think we underestimated them. We quickly found ourselves in a dogfight, and entered halftime down by two,” Shaw said.
 
In the second half, Shaw said they took control and looked to be slowly pulling away, but the Red Devils banged in a tough three point shot, and then got a quick steal resulting in an “and one” lay-up to give them new life.
 
Shaw received his first technical foul of his career, insisting the refs completely messed up the call.
In overtime the Beavers got some timely stops and some big plays, and were able to tough out a 64-60 win.
 
Hobbs lead the team in scoring with 16 points, and Chad Coachman chipped in 13 points in his first weekend of action.
 
The Beavers move to 2-1 in the season. The Beaver’s will play again Tuesday against Barclay College in the Dennis Lesh Sports Arena at 8 p.m.