DODGE CITY, Kan. (Interstat) — A tight conference race and a recent overtime thriller will be on the minds of both teams when the Dodge City Conquistadors host the Cloud County Thunderbirds in a men’s junior college basketball matchup Saturday.

The Conquistadors (15-7) enter with the stronger overall record and will look to protect their home court against a Thunderbirds squad (10-9) seeking consistency. The teams last met on Nov. 29, 2025, with Dodge City escaping Concordia with an 81-78 overtime victory.

Both teams are coming off losses in their most recent outings. Cloud County fell 95-86 to Cowley on Wednesday, despite a 24-point effort from guard DJ Holloway. Dodge City dropped a 91-81 decision at Cowley on Monday, though standout guard Derrick Rivers poured in 27 points.

Holloway enters as a key player to watch for Cloud County. Over his last nine games, he has shown high-scoring capability, including a 22-point, 12-rebound performance at Fort Hays Tech on Jan. 7 and 21 points in an overtime win at Barton on Jan. 26. His production will be vital for the Thunderbirds’ offense.

For Dodge City, Rivers has been a consistent offensive force. He has scored 14 or more points in seven consecutive games, including 27-point outings against both Cowley and Garden City this month. His backcourt battle with Holloway could dictate the game’s tempo.

Cloud County’s recent schedule has been a rollercoaster, featuring two overtime games in its last four, going 1-1 in those contests. Dodge City has also played in close games, with a 2-point win over Seward County and an overtime loss at Butler (Kan.) in recent weeks.

The game tips off at 7:30 p.m. CST on Jan. 31 at the Dodge City Student Activity Center. Following this contest, Dodge City will travel to Colby on Wednesday, while Cloud County’s next game is at home against Colby on Feb. 7.