Columbia, MD - With a dominant second half performance, the Howard Community College Dragons finished the month of January a perfect 10-0 as they defeated WVU Potomac State College 71-54.

After a back-and-forth first half, the Dragons exploded for a 10-0 run to start the second and never looked back. Howard's victory moved them to 17-4 on the season, just behind Montgomery College for first place in Region 20.

Jaden Johnson (Upper Marlboro, MD/Dr. Henry A. Wise) set the tone for Wednesday night's game with an explosive three-pointer seconds into the contest. The Dragons opened up quickly on the Catamounts, with back-to-back threes from Truth Norton (Columbia, MD/Oakland Mills) and Christian Dean (Elkridge, MD/Long Reach) pushing the lead to double-digits. But Potomac State and leading Region 20 scorer Camren Wilkes weren't going down without a fight. The Catamounts slowly battled back into the contest, drawing within three points with five minutes to go in the half. 

A pivotal moment occurred right before the half as Sincere Barfield (Baltimore, MD/Patterson) was fouled on a three-point attempt by Eugene Bryant. Barfield's trip to the free throw line was perfect, giving the Dragons some much-needed breathing room. Wilkes missed a crucial three-pointer seconds later, giving the Dragons a six-point lead heading into the half.

Right out of the break the Dragons erupted on the Catamounts. Jaden Johnson (Upper Marlboro, MD/Dr. Henry A. Wise) scored on a fastbreak layup, and after another missed three by Wilkes, Anthony Djami (Paris, France/Brequigny) fought inside for an easy layup. Another missed Potomac State three was converted into an ally-oop dunk by Emanuel Henriques (Baltimore, MD/Benjamin Franklin) off a Jaden Johnson (Upper Marlboro, MD/Dr. Henry A. Wise) pass. Henriques scored twice more before a gasping Potomac State called timeout to stem the bleeding. The 10-0 run ended any hopes Potomac State had at victory, as the Dragons kept the scoring going deep into the half. The only hiccup for the Dragons were minor injuries to Djami and Barfield that they were able to return from. Howard's lead expanded to 25 before the Catamounts attempted a comeback in the final minutes. It wouldn't matter, as the Dragons defense locked down the perimeter in a resounding win. Barfield put the finishing touches on the win with a wild layup amidst heavy Potomac State pressure.

Henriques finished as the leading scorer with 18 points, three rebounds, three assists, and three steals. Johnson was named Player of the Game with 13 points, six rebounds, and six assists. Barfield added 13 points off the bench, while Truth Norton (Columbia, MD/Oakland Mills) continued his excellent stretch of basketball with ten points, six rebounds, two assists, and two steals. Christian Dean (Elkridge, MD/Long Reach) knocked down seven points, seven rebounds, five assists, and three steals, while Anthony Djami (Paris, France/Brequigny) overcame a dislocated finger to finish with five points, four rebounds, and two blocks. Arthur Roaché added five rebounds and two assists off the bench.

The Dragons next face Frederick Community College on Saturday, February 1 at 2:00 PM.