Trojans Battle to the Finish, Fall to Dodge City in Tight Home Contest
February 9, 2026
The Colby Community College men’s basketball team battled through early struggles and multiple momentum swings before falling 80–71 to Dodge City Community College on Tuesday, February 4, at the Colby Event Center. Despite a tightly contested game that featured numerous lead changes and a deadlocked halftime score, Dodge City’s timely perimeter shooting and late defensive pressure proved to be the difference.
Colby found itself on its heels early as Dodge City came out with pace and athleticism, jumping to an 11–3 advantage in the opening five minutes. The Trojans struggled to find any rhythm offensively during the early stretch, missing several open looks while Dodge City capitalized on transition opportunities and second-chance points. With 15 minutes left in the first half, Colby was searching for answers on both ends of the floor.
Gradually, the Trojans began to settle in. Defensive stops started to turn into scoring chances, and Colby chipped away at the deficit. With just under 12 minutes to play in the half, the Trojans had closed the gap to 15–10, injecting energy back into the building. Dodge City responded with steady play, maintaining a slim cushion as Colby continued to battle through mistakes that stalled potential runs.
The momentum finally swung late in the first half. Colby stayed within one or two possessions for several minutes before breaking through in the final two minutes. A strong stretch of execution allowed the Trojans to briefly take their first lead of the game at 30–28 with 1:26 remaining. Dodge City answered before the break, and the teams went into halftime knotted at 30–30, setting the stage for a competitive second half.
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The back-and-forth nature of the game carried into the second half, with both teams trading baskets and neither able to create separation. The score remained tied at 38 with just over 16 minutes to play, highlighting how evenly matched the contest had become. Colby continued to show resilience, answering Dodge City runs with key shots and defensive rebounds.
Midway through the second half, Dodge City began to find success from beyond the arc. While Colby continued to generate quality looks, the Trojans struggled to convert consistently, allowing Dodge City to open a 52–48 lead with just under ten minutes remaining. A series of empty possessions soon followed, and Dodge City used the opportunity to stretch its advantage to seven points.
Colby refused to fold, answering with a strong push that cut the deficit to 64–60 with under four minutes left. The Trojans had chances to close the gap further, but shots rimmed out while Dodge City responded with timely three-point shooting and physical defense down the stretch. Dodge City closed the game at the free-throw line to secure the 80–71 win.
D.J. Cason led Colby with 20 points, connecting on four three-pointers and providing a steady scoring presence throughout the night. Aliou Diallo added 16 points, while Giannis Asimakopoulos contributed nine points and eight rebounds in the loss. Colby outrebounded Dodge City 38–28 but was unable to overcome shooting disparities, as Dodge City finished the night shooting over 42 percent from three-point range compared to Colby’s 35.5 percent.
While the final result was disappointing, the Trojans showed fight and composure against a Dodge City team that entered the night with a strong conference record. Colby will look to build on the stretches of solid play as the season continues and focus on turning close games into wins moving forward.