EMMIE BOESE
Hutch Post
HUTCHINSON, Kan. — A Kansas school will play in the 2024 NJCAA Division I Men's Basketball Championship final. No. 1 Barton beat No.5 Indian Hills 93-78 in the semifinals of the national tournament on Thursday night.
Sophomore forward Lajae Jones led the Cougars in scoring with 25 points, nine rebounds and an assist. Hutchinson native Myles Thompson scored 21 points. Thompson, a sophomore forward, also recorded nine rebounds, four assists, one steal and one block.
Sophomore guards Davontae Hall and Braden Sparks scored 17 points a piece for Indian Hills.
About midway through the first half, Indian Hills trailed Barton by just six points 33-27, but the Cougars went on a 7-0 scoring run to end the half with a 40-27 lead.
Barton led for the rest of the game. They only shot 36.4% from the 3-point line but they dominated in the paint by scoring 44 points to Indian Hills 30. The Cougars were 73.1% from the free throw line (19-26).
The Cougars also capitalized by scoring 19 points off of Indian Hills 16 turnovers.
Barton will play the winner of Connors State and Triton in the national championship on Saturday, March 30 at 1 p.m.
Glen Grunwald and Rick Kraus will have the game play-by-play on Saturday on Country 102.9 FM and KWBW 1450 AM/98.5 FM.