Broncbusters lose to Hutch in regular-season finale
Hutchinson, KS-Ra'Sean Frederick scored 17 points, Aaron Franklin added 13, and Hutchinson snapped Garden City's six-game winning streak with an 80-60 victory Wednesday night at the Sports Arena. The Broncbusters finished the regular season 21-8 overall and 16-8 in conference, earning the fifth seed in the Region VI Tournament. They will host Independence on Saturday at 4 p.m.
The Broncbusters finished 2-of-15 from 3 and turned the ball over 18 times, leading to 22 Blue Dragon points. They were 8-of-15 at the line and shot 48 percent from the field. Buru Naivalurua scored 21 points, and Larry Olayinka added 10 and six boards off the bench.
Garden City looked sharp early, building a 12-7 advantage following Naivalurua's vicious dunk in transition. But the Blue Dragons responded with a 12-2 run, capped by Trey McClure's 3-pointer from the right wing that gave the home team a 19-14 lead with 9:38 remaining.
Jayden Garrison made a layup, Kieran Carr drilled a 25-footer, Dadrevius weathers sliced inside for 2, and Kernan Bundy connected from deep, giving Hutchinson a 12-point cushion. The Blue Dragons were up 12 at half, and Garden City never got any closer than nine points the rest of the way.
The Broncbusters missed nine of their 10 3-point attempts in the second half as they were outscored 35-27 over the final 20 minutes. Andre Polk made his second-semester debut after sitting out the past two months with a knee injury. He didn't score in four minutes.
Hutchinson, which clinched the No. 6 seed in the Region VI tournament, shot 48 percent from the floor and 7-of-20 from deep. They outrebounded Garden City, 38-25 and had 15 offensive boards that led to 13 second-chance points.