Broncbusters upset in opening round of Region VI Tournament

Garden City, KS-March is a crazy time of year for college basketball.

Josh Smith poured in 26 points, Ja'Tavis Groomes added 18, and 12^th-seeded Independence knocked off the 23^rd-ranked Broncbusters, 82-78 in overtime in the first round of the Region VI Tournament Saturday afternoon at Conestoga Arena. The loss ended Garden City's season at 21-9. 

The Broncbusters shot a season-worst 37 percent from the floor and missed nine free throws (18-of-27). They also turned the ball over 17 times leading to 18 Pirate points. Buru Naivalurua was held to just four points in 37 minutes. 

Independence battered the Broncbusters in the paint, outscoring them, 38-22. They finished 7-of-21 from long distance and were 17-of-20 from the free throw line. 

This game was summed up by missed opportunities, ones that will haunt Garden City all offseason.  

Trailing 62-58 with less than three minutes remaining, Central Michigan transfer, Aundre Polk, who was playing in only his second game since returning from a knee injury, swished a soft jumper from the baseline. Moments later, with the shot clock set to expire, the sophomore drilled a triple from the top of the key to put the Broncbusters in front by one. 

After Independence went back up by two, DaJion Humphrey connected on back-to-back treys to give Garden City a 69-65 lead with 54 seconds to play. Following Kam Parker's layup that trimmed the home team's advantage to two, Smith fouled Jaborri McGhee with seven seconds to play. The freshman hit the first free throw but missed the second, leaving the door slightly cracked. At that point, Garden City Head Coach, Elmore instructed his team to foul, which sent Smith to the line. The freshman then missed the front end of the 1-and-1, but the Broncbusters couldn't secure the rebound. On the ensuing inbounds, the Broncbusters elected not to foul, and Parker drilled a 3 from the right wing at the buzzer, sending the game into overtime. 

Everything was a blur from there. 

McGhee turned it over early in the extra session that led to a Smith jumper. Parker then sank two free throws, and after McGhee gave the Broncbusters a 76-74 edge following a triple from the left wing, Smith answered with back-to-back baskets, the second of which came off a bad pass by David Elliot that the Chicago native stole and hammered down at the other end for a 78-76 lead. 

Still, the Broncbusters had their chances to salvage the game in the waning seconds after Humphrey drained two free throws to make it a two-point contest. But after a defensive stop, the sophomore, who led the conference in 3-point percentage this season, missed a contested jumper from the right baseline. Parker grabbed the rebound, was fouled, and hit two free throws to ice the game.  

Garden City had an opportunity to blow this one open in the first half, building an eight-point cushion following Elliott's layup that made it 16-8 seven minutes in. But Groomes answered with a 3, Parker hit a tear drop in the paint, and the Pirates were back to within one. Once the Broncbusters went back up by six in the final seconds, McGhee was called for flagrant foul for slapping the ball out of bounds. Parker made two free throws, and then Smith knocked down a 45-foot heave at the buzzer, cutting Garden City's lead to 33-32 at the half.  

For the Pirates, it was their second postseason victory over Garden City at Conestoga Arena in the past four years (they beat Patrick Nee's squad in the 2019 Region VI Tournament).  

Johan Nziemi scored 14 points in 28 minutes before fouling out for Independence, who advanced to play Butler in Tuesday night's Region VI Quarterfinals.