Thank you Dodge City. 

Thanks to Dodge City's 88-86 victory over the Butler Grizzlies Wednesday, the Barton Cougars are one win away from a Jayhawk Conference basketball championship and homecourt advantage until the NJCAA Championship in Hutchinson.

A Jayhawk Conference title would virtually assure the Cougars an invitation to the 2026 NJCAA Basketball Championship.

The Cougars raced past the Seward County Saints 96-80 by converting a school record 51 of 57 free throws. The Cougars (21-8, 16-7 Jayhawk) own the tiebreaker over the Butler Grizzlies.

Barto's double figure scorers were Sebastian Muchitsch (19), super-sub Jayden Ramirez (15), Aris Rodriguez (14), Brian Sullivan (13) and Noah Williams (11) who posted a double/double with 19 rebounds.

Seward's Korbin Dowdell (14), Lynn Brooks (12) and R.J. McKinnie (11) scored in double figures.

Seward 20 60 — 80

Barton 38 58 —96

SEWARD (17-11, 12-10)—Dowdell 6-13 (1-6) 1-2 14; Brooks 2-9 (1-5) 7-10 12; McKinnie 3-6 (2-4) 3-7 11; Chapman 3-6 4-5 10; N'Gombo 3-8 (0-2) 3-3 9; Kidd 2-5 (0-2) 0-0 5; Coleman 2-4 (2-4) 1-2 7; Powers 0-3 (0-2) 2-2 2; Kidd 2-6 (1-2) 0-0 5; Mamir 1-4 (0-2) 0-0 2; Fleret 0-1 0-0 0; Totals (9-32) 21-31 80

BARTON (21-8, 16-7)—Muchitsch 4-8 (1-2) 10-10 19; Ramirez 3-10 (0-2) 9-11 15; Rodriguez 4-8 (0-3) 6-8 14; Sullivan 4-9 (0-1) 5-6 13; Noah Williams 2-11 (1-3) 12-12 11; Mikey Williams 1-3 (1-2) 0-0 3; Rucker 0-4 (0-3) 5-6 5; Inanov 2-4 (2-2) 0-0 6; Byrd 0-2 (0-1) 2-2 2; Spray 0-0 0-0 0; Chuol 0-1 2-2 2; Totals 20-60 (5-19) 51-57 96

Rebounds—SC 41 (Brooks 6), BC (N. Williams (10). Assists—SC 13; BC 13 (Byrd 4, N. Williams 4), Steals—SC 8 (Kidd 2, Powers 2); BC 12 (Sullivan 5). TO—SC 17, BC 10

JAYHAWK MEN

Barton 16-7 21-8

Butler 15-7 19-9

Dodge City 14-8 18-10

Cowley 13-9 18-10

Coffeyville 13-9 19-9

Seward 12-10 17-11

Garden City 12-10 17-11

Cloud 12-10 17-11

Independence 12-10 14-14

Hays NW 9-12 13-13

Hutchinson 8-14 13-15

Pratt 4-19 7-21

Colby 4-18 6-22

2-25—Barton 96, Seward 80; Colby 71, Hays NW 70; Cowley 101, Independence 83; Coffeyville 72, Pratt 55; Dodge City 88, Butler 86; Cloud 91, Garden City 85

2-28—Cloud at Butler; Pratt at Hutchinson; Cowley at Seward; Garden City at Colby; Coffeyville at NW Tech; Independence at Dodge City

3-2—Coffeyville at Garden City

3-4—Barton at Cowley; Dodge City at Seward; Hutchinson at Hays NW; Colby at Butler;  Cloud at Independence