EL DORADO, Kan. – A sub 50-point performance would be part of a 78-49 road defeat for the Cloud County Community College men's basketball team at the hands of Butler County Community College in Kansas Jayhawk Community College Conference play inside the Power Plant in El Dorado, Kansas on Wednesday, February 5th.

Falling to 9-16 overall, Cloud County is now 4-11 in the KJCCC East Division while the Grizzlies hold on to sole possession of second place in the Jayhawk East Division to improve to 18-7 overall and 11-4 in conference play.

After taking a 3-2 lead on a Michael Ozomah jumper with 17:48 left in the first half, the T-Birds would see Butler use a 10-0 run to open an 12-3 lead five just two minutes later. Following a pair of Ty Duin free throws and Sami Sanad triple to pull CCCC back within six at 14-8, the Grizzlies would score the next six points on back-to-back treys while holding Cloud County scoreless for nearly three minutes to go back up double-digits. Butler would continue to add to their lead to go up by as many as 18 at 41-23 with 2:28 left before halftime before Sanad would score the final points of the half on a three.

Both Cloud County and Butler would trade three buckets each to start the second half as the deficit would remain at 15 until a Dyelan Reed three would bring CCCC within 12 at 47-35. A two-minute scoring drought for the T-Bird would allow the Grizzlies to push their lead back 15 while going on to score eight of the next 10 points with Cloud County getting one bucket from the 14:06 mark until the 10:51 mark. In the final 10 minutes of the game, CCCC would get no closer than 14 following a made DJ Sims trey as Butler would have a response by going on a 12-1 run to put the game out of reach.

A 19-8 deficit in points off turnovers and 26-14 deficit in points in the paint would loom large in the game as the Grizzlies would manage to shoot just shy of 44 percent (29-of-66) from the field while Cloud County would never be able to find their offensive flow in a 17-of-65 (26.2 percent) outing.

The lone player for the T-Birds in double-figures would be Sims with 10 points and two assists while Sanad would add seven points off the bench. 10 players for Cloud County would play at least 12 minutes in the game, led by a team-high 28 minutes of action from Iyen Enaruna.  

What's Next?

CCCC will return home to try and avenge an earlier season loss to Coffeyville Community College when they host the Red Ravens at 4 PM on Saturday, February 8th. The game will be played as part of homecoming and hall of fame weekend with the homecoming coronation taking place prior to the game and the hall of fame induction taking place at halftime.