All Five Starters Score in Double Figures as #21 Red Ravens End Regular Season with an 89-85 Defeat of #14 Barton

Coffeyville, Kan. - The #21 NJCAA-ranked Coffeyville Community College Men's Basketball Team capped off their 2025 regular season in style, defeating the #14 ranked Barton Cougars with a final score of 89-85. The victory marks an improvement to an overall record of 22-8, including an 18-6 record in the Kansas Jayhawk Community College Conference (KJCCC). With such a strong conference performance, the Red Ravens secured second place among the 13 teams in the KJCCC Div I standings and claimed the #2 seed for the upcoming Region 6 Tournament.

Throughout the contest, the thrilling matchup between these two ranked NJCAA teams kept fans on the edge of their seats. The Red Ravens clung to a narrow 84-80 lead with just over a minute and a half left in the game. In a critical moment, Barton drained a three-pointer at 1:38, narrowing the gap to just one point at 84-83. Showing poise, Coffeyville freshman Trenton Ruth responded with a long two-pointer, extending the lead to 86-83 with only 25 seconds remaining.

Coffeyville's defense held strong as freshman Daniel Ntambwe snagged a rebound after Barton missed a shot with 13 seconds to go. Shortly after, Abdul Kuta was fouled and stepped to the line, successfully converting 1 of his 2 free throw attempts, giving the Red Ravens an 87-83 cushion. Although Barton managed a quick two-pointer to come within two points at 87-85, Ntambwe answered with another basket, solidifying the victory for Coffeyville as Barton's final three-point attempt fell short.

Statistically, Coffeyville dominated the boards, out-rebounding the Cougars 36-28. The Ravens also showed their proficiency at the free-throw line, completing 22 of 24 attempts for an impressive 91%.

Key contributors for Coffeyville included freshman guard Trenton Ruth, who led the team with 22 points, and sophomore guard Brian Griffith, who added 20 points of his own. Other standout performances came from sophomore guard Justin Taylor (12 points), freshman forward Daniel Ntambwe (12 points, 7 rebounds), and freshman forward Abdul Kuta (10 points, 6 rebounds).

As the #2 seed heading into the 2025 Region 6 Men's Division I Basketball Tournament, the Red Ravens will bypass the opening round and head directly to the Quarterfinal Round. The team is set to host the winner of the match between the #7 seed Barton and the #10 seed Independence on Tuesday, March 11th, at Nellis Gymnasium, with tip-off scheduled for 7:30 p.m.

For a complete view of the 2025 Region 6 Men's Division I Basketball Championship Bracket, click HERE!