Needing a win to gain at least a share of first place in the Western Athletic Conference, the Dodge City High School boys' basketball team took care of business Friday night at the DCHS Field House.
And then they got a little help from one of their WAC foes.
The Red Demons drubbed outmanned Liberal 68-46 to wrap up the regular season 17-3 overall, and then DCHS (7-1 WAC) overtook Hays for the conference title outright after the Indians (6-2) lost to Great Bend 39-31 Friday night.
“It’s special for our players,” DCHS head coach Dennis Hamilton said. “Getting a little help, with Great Bend beating Hays, I think it makes it special for our kids to win it outright.
“Our goal was to win the conference. If we had to share it, we had to share it, but we don’t have to and we’re being selfish kids right now.”
The Demons open Class 6A sub-state tournament play on Wednesday night at 7 against Wichita South.
The Redskins simply were no match Friday night for the Demons, who seized control early and never looked back. DCHS led 15-10 after one quarter, expanded the margin to 31-15 at halftime and held a 48-29 edge after three quarters.
The Demons shot an efficient 22-for-44 from the floor (50 percent) and converted 20 of 27 free throws for the game.
Meanwhile, on the defensive end of the floor, Dodge limited Liberal to only 19 percent accuracy from the floor in the first half (4-for-21) while forcing the Redskins into nine first half turnovers.
Liberal finished 14-for-45 from the floor, missing several shots from point-blank range.
“We really did it in a variety of ways,” Hamilton said. “When we shifted to our zone, a 2-3 as opposed to a 3-2, and in the second quarter it put (the Redskins) on their heels a little bit and slowed the game down for them.”
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Needing a win to gain at least a share of first place in the Western Athletic Conference, the Dodge City High School boys' basketball team took care of business Friday night at the DCHS Field House.
And then they got a little help from one of their WAC foes.
The Red Demons drubbed outmanned Liberal 68-46 to wrap up the regular season 17-3 overall, and then DCHS (7-1 WAC) overtook Hays for the conference title outright after the Indians (6-2) lost to Great Bend 39-31 Friday night.
“It’s special for our players,” DCHS head coach Dennis Hamilton said. “Getting a little help, with Great Bend beating Hays, I think it makes it special for our kids to win it outright.
“Our goal was to win the conference. If we had to share it, we had to share it, but we don’t have to and we’re being selfish kids right now.”
The Demons open Class 6A sub-state tournament play on Wednesday night at 7 against Wichita South.
The Redskins simply were no match Friday night for the Demons, who seized control early and never looked back. DCHS led 15-10 after one quarter, expanded the margin to 31-15 at halftime and held a 48-29 edge after three quarters.
The Demons shot an efficient 22-for-44 from the floor (50 percent) and converted 20 of 27 free throws for the game.
Meanwhile, on the defensive end of the floor, Dodge limited Liberal to only 19 percent accuracy from the floor in the first half (4-for-21) while forcing the Redskins into nine first half turnovers.
Liberal finished 14-for-45 from the floor, missing several shots from point-blank range.
“We really did it in a variety of ways,” Hamilton said. “When we shifted to our zone, a 2-3 as opposed to a 3-2, and in the second quarter it put (the Redskins) on their heels a little bit and slowed the game down for them.”
