Broncbusters win first game of the Tandy era

By Mike Pilosof

Liberal, KS-When Omega Tandy was first hired, her message was clear: this is a process. Well on Saturday, that process took the first step in the right direction.

Dasja Ross scored 15 points and pulled down five boards off the bench, Alyssa Boyce added 13, and Garden City earned their first win of the Tandy era with a 74-40 rout of Bethany.

Garden City shook off some early shooting struggles with a 15-0 run, turning an early three-point deficit into a 20-8 advantage once Hidaya Thornton knocked down a midrange jumper with 9:56 to play in the second. Boyce added back-to-back buckets, Corina Suarez-Tudela hit her fourth 3 of the young season, Tyla Happer connected on a triple, and Garden City had a 38-19 lead going into the locker room.

The Broncbusters kept the pressure on in the second half.

Deborah Ford splashed home a 14-footer, igniting a 12-0 surge that stretched Garden City's lead to 31, 56-25 with 1:17 to go in the third. In the fourth, seven straight points, punctuated with Suarez-Tudela's bucket, put the Broncbusters up by 33. Jaleah Bellany then nailed a 3, Happer hit a layup, and Donetria McGee put home a 10-footer to give the road squad their largest advantage of the game, 71-33 with 3:10 remaining.

Garden City finished the game 9-of-38 from 3 (24 percent) and 30-of-78 from the field (39 percent). They forced 27 turnovers, their second straight game with 25 or more. Their bench outscored Bethany's 47-8.

Next up: Garden City vs. Trinidad State-Friday, Nov. 8-5:45 p.m. pregame; 6 p.m. tip on 99.9 FM; westernkansasnews.com/kwkr and KWKR mobile app