DODGE CITY, Kan. (Interstat) — The Dodge City Conquistadors used a dominant first quarter and clutch late free throws to hold off a persistent Colby Trojans team 86-79 in a men’s junior college basketball game Wednesday night.

Dodge City, improving to 9-3 overall, erupted for 49 points in the opening period, capitalizing on efficient offense and Colby turnovers to build a commanding lead. The Conquistadors shot 53% from the floor for the game and made 26 of 36 free throws, which proved decisive in the final moments.

Derrick Rivers led all scorers with 24 points for Dodge City, adding five assists. Rickey Loftin II provided 17 points off the bench, and Brad Johnson filled the stat sheet with 10 points, seven rebounds, and five assists. Defensively, Wesly Rosa anchored the paint with six blocked shots.

Colby, which fell to 0-8 on the season, was led by D.J. Cason’s 24 points. Aliou Diallo added 19 points, and Nana Keutcha contributed 13 points and six rebounds. The Trojans fought back from the early deficit, outscoring Dodge City 42-37 in the second quarter but could never fully close the gap.

The game started at a frantic pace with Dodge City establishing its offensive rhythm early. After Colby’s Nana Keutcha opened the scoring, the Conquistadors went on a 9-2 run, highlighted by a Brad Johnson steal and layup. Colby’s Aliou Diallo and Dodge City’s Derrick Rivers traded three-pointers, but the home team steadily expanded its lead.

Dodge City’s first-quarter barrage was fueled by inside scoring and trips to the foul line. Rivers and Loftin II were frequent contributors, while Jordan Russell provided energy off the bench with six points. Colby, despite 37 points of its own in the quarter, committed several turnovers that allowed Dodge City to push the tempo and take a 49-37 lead into the break.

The second quarter saw Colby chip away at the lead. A 10-2 Trojans run, featuring five points from Keutcha and a three-pointer from Diallo, cut the deficit to 53-52. Dodge City responded with a 7-0 spurt of its own, keyed by Christian Brockett and Jayvion Nurse, to regain an eight-point cushion.

Colby continued to battle, keeping the game within two possessions for much of the final ten minutes. Cason’s driving layup with 50 seconds left brought the Trojans to within 83-79. Following a Dodge City turnover, Colby had a chance to draw closer but missed a layup.

In the final seconds, Rivers was fouled and sank two free throws with three seconds remaining to extend the lead to six. After a technical foul was assessed to Colby, Rivers hit another free throw to seal the 86-79 victory.

Statistically, Dodge City’s efficiency was the story. The Conquistadors scored 86 points on just 72 possessions, translating to an offensive rating of 119.3. They shot 26 for 49 from the field compared to Colby’s 25 for 65. The Trojans, with an offensive rating of 99.5, stayed competitive by hitting 10 of 23 three-point attempts and winning the rebounding battle 31-29, including 11 offensive boards.

Dodge City looks to continue its winning ways on the road Saturday at Coffeyville. Colby, still in search of its first win, returns home to host Cloud County on Saturday.