WWW arkcity.net

By DAVID WOLMAN
Traveler Sports Editor
sports@arkcity.net

HUTCHINSON -- Darrell Freeman took the opening tip for a layup.

But that amount of success Arkansas City enjoyed Friday night was shortlived.

Within a matter of minutes the game became a blur for the Bulldogs, as Hutchinson made wide-open shots and took advantage of 23 Ark City turnovers.

The Bulldogs also had no answers for Caleb Walker. Whether it was an alley-oop dunk, short putback or three-pointer, the versatile six-foot-3 senior had his way against Ark City.

Walker finished with a game-high 21-points and added seven rebounds in leading Hutchinson to an easy 59-37 win over the Bulldogs at the Salthawk Activity Center.

"He's just really good," Ark City coach Ben Proctor said of Walker. "I think they played really well as a team and got a lot of guys involved."

After Freeman opened the game with his layup, the Salthawks took control and never looked back.

They turned four Ark City turnovers into a quick 16-2 lead. Shaun Brackett converted a layup off a steal for a 10-point lead. Less than two minutes later, Joseph Ratcliffe worked the baseline and found Jordan Fee for a wide-open jumper.

That was the case throughout most of the first half, as Ark City (8-8) left Hutchinson's jump shooters wide open.

Ark City committed 13 turnovers in the first half alone. Many of them were wild passes to the middle of the court or desperation passes out of traps. Credit Hutchinson's trap and zone defenses, as well as its athleticism, for forcing those turnovers.

"They probably understand that we have turnover troubles," Proctor said. "We stress it every day in practice, but it's just a matter of toughening up."

Hutchinson coach Brad Specht liberally substituted in waves and used all of his bench in an attempt to wear down the Bulldogs.

Kestian Harris finally ended Ark City's scoreless drought at 4 minutes, 27 seconds with a layup on a nice behind-the-back pass by Freeman.

Freeman hit a reverse layup as the final buzzer sounded to end the first quarter, but Hutchinson was ahead 19-8.

Freeman finished with six points and four rebounds. Harris added three points. Tayler Rock and Jordan Fields led the Bulldogs with eight points apiece.

But Hutchinson continued to put on a clinic on the offensive end in the first half.

Walker was on the finishing end of an alley-oop feed by Todd Schultz to open the second quarter. Less than four minutes later, Nate Dreiling tipped-in a putback off a missed three-pointer for a 28-12 Salthawks lead.

That was just one example of how many times Ark City left Hutchinson's shooters wide-open, as the Salthawks used their athleticism and speed to create dribble penetration and create those wide-open looks.

"I don't think we did a very good job in just playing good, sound defense," Proctor said. "We didn't stay in front of our guy. We didn't jump to the ball. We didn't help. I don't know. We didn't come out and play very well."

The Salthawks (7-6) also found their mark behind the arc, connecting on four three-pointers in the first half, en route to a 32-17 halftime lead.

"It seemed like everything they did worked," Proctor said. "That's a tribute to the way they do things in practice. I'm guessing they got a lot more done in practice than we do. That's just something that we have to fix."

Jon Wilson finished with nine points, connecting on three three-pointers. Fee added 10 points, including two three-pointers.

The Bulldogs (8-8) turned up the pressure in the second half, using trap and press defenses to force eight Salthawk turnovers.

But the damage had already been done.

Walker made a drop step and drove the lane for a reverse layup and a 43-21 Hutchinson lead. Walker gave the Salthawks their biggest lead, 54-31, on a putback just over midway through the fourth.

"We're seeing teams and programs that we want to emulate," Proctor said. "Eventually we'll get there."

Ark City 6 11 10 10 --37
Hutchinson 19 13 15 12 -- 59

Ark City -- Rock 8, Fields 8, Miller 7, Freeman 6, Rohrs 5, Harris 3.
Hutchinson -- Walker 21, Fee 10, Wilson 9, Dreilling 4, Seitz 4, Brackett 3, Ratcliffe 2, Kienzle 2, Grissom 2, Schultz 2.