The game between the Dodge City Red Demons and the Hutchinson Salt Hawks had a much different feel than the game played less than 24 hours previously by Dodge and Wichita Heights.
However, this game was to determine who would finish third and who would walk off the court with dreams of what could have been as the Tournament of Champions was winding down in its new home.
The storyline heading into Saturday afternoon’s contest would be how much each team had left in their respective fuel tanks, with this being their third game in three days. Also, how much would the Demons have emotionally after giving everything they had in front of 2,000 people the night before as they attempted to take down the number 12 team in the country.
Saturday’s third place game between the two schools was the ninth time these two sides have met in TOC history, with the Demons claiming a 5-3 series lead. The most recent meeting between them came only two years ago in 2010 when they once again matched up in the third place contest.
Despite playing with a seven-point lead midway through the third quarter, the Demons watched as their lead evaporated over the next 10 minutes of basketball, as the Salt Hawks escape Dodge City with a 44-37 third place victory.
“We kind of let it start slipping there at the tail end of the third when we were getting some bodies rested and I think that’s when they jumpstarted their good fourth quarter,” said Demon head coach Dennis Hamilton. “They’re a good basketball team and we’d like to think we’re not that far off. Our kids played hard, but we turned the ball over more than we’re used to and we didn’t shoot it well, and when we’re not shooting it well, it’s a grind it out type of game.”
The first half would be indicative of the Demons’ offensive play during the TOC, as they would come out with the momentum on their side, but could not keep it going throughout the remainder of the half.
The Demons scored the first points of the game after All-Tournament selection Trey Hallman maneuvered his way around two Hutch defenders, squeezing his way to the hoop for the basket.
Behind the strong play of All-Tournament selection Lucas Munds, Hutchinson eventually recaptured the lead in the second quarter, working their way to a one-point halftime lead.
It would be a different story to begin the second half as Dodge City came out with a chip on their shoulder and a point to prove in front of the fans that had come out to support them. Leading the charge for the Demons was Hallman and breakout tournament star Jace Larson.
With just over four minutes to play in the third quarter, the Demons enjoyed a 27-20 advantage, but from that moment on, the shots stopped falling for Hamilton’s squad.
Slowly, but surely, the Salt Hawks climbed back into the contest as Munds, Hayden Wilkens and Colby Turner chipped away at the Demon lead. By the fourth quarter, Hutchinson had the score back to even, using a big run to stretch their lead as Dodge struggled to find an answer offensively.
Before anyone knew what happened, the Demons found themselves down by five and gasping for air as their shots continued to avoid the bottom of the net.
After outscoring the Hawks 12-8 in the third quarter, the Demons found themselves on the wrong end of a 20-10 fourth quarter, as Hutchinson came back for the seven-point win to capture the third place trophy.
“Our defensive intensity really picked up for the first time this season, our kids didn’t hang their heads because we were struggling shooting the ball and they bought into the idea of their defense carrying over to the offensive end,” said Hutchinson head coach Nathan Henry. “We couldn’t be more proud for how hard they fought out there tonight.”
The Demons were led by Hallman with 12 points and three steals, while Larson finished with 11 points and led the team in rebounds with 10. As a team, Dodge out-rebounded the Hawks by 11, but could not crack the code on the offensive end of the floor.
With the loss, Dodge City falls to 5-6 on the season as they exit the heavily-touted Tournament of Champions bracket with a win against Hays and defeats to Wichita Heights and Hutchinson.
“I just hope we didn’t take any steps backwards, we really struggled with Hays, but got the win and did some things well against Heights and never gave up,” Hamilton said. “We just couldn’t come out on top tonight and I think we’re ok and I told the kids, to think where we’ve come from Dec. 3, when we took the court as a bunch of scared, young players against Wichita East, we’ve come a long way.”
The Demons will next be in action on Jan. 27 as they hit the road to take on Pratt.
