Broncbusters blow double-digit lead, fall in OT at Lamar

Lamar, CO-The last time Garden City was scheduled to play a game at Lamar, the contest was cancelled because of an old air conditioner that was leaking condensation onto the floor.  

Maybe that was a bad omen for the future.  

EJ Brown had 19 points and 12 rebounds, Sean Lindsay added 18 points and nine assists, and Lamar upset No. 16 Garden City in overtime, 80-72 on Monday night. 

"We just didn't play very well," Head coach, Rusty Elmore said after the game. "That's what's most frustrating about this one."

The Broncbusters turned the ball over 23 times and shot just 36 percent from the floor. They were 11-of-36 (31 percent) from deep and missed nine free throws.  

"You add up missed shots and turnovers, that's what gets you beat," Elmore added.  

Go ahead and mark this game down for some early-season controversy.  

With Garden City leading 65-63 with 40 seconds remaining in regulation, Lamar's Lee Hubbard missed two free throws. When the ball clanged off the front rim on the second attempt, both Jordan Frazier and EJ Brown got their hands on it forcing a tie up. At that point, the possession arrow pointed Garden City's way. But with no explanation, the arrow flipped, and the officials awarded possession to Lamar.  

"We just have to be better," Elmore said. 

That extra possession changed everything, and on the ensuing inbounds, Keziah Forest blew past Braxton Jones for a right-handed layup that tied the game. 

"I'm not sure exactly why they got possession, but that's not why we lost," Elmore said. 

With a chance to win it in regulation, Brody Robinson, who was trying to get free on the inbounds play, cut across the lane where he was knocked to the ground by Curtis Stovall. The officials said play on, and eventually Garden City turned it over. 

Robinson then deflected Hubbard's full court baseball pass in the final seconds, and the game went into overtime. 

It was all Lopes from there.  

Stoval buried a 3-pointer from the left corner to begin the extra session, fueling a 13-5 run that put Lamar up 78-70. They ended up outscoring the Broncbusters 15-7 in overtime.  

"Having to turn around and play a back-to-back after going to overtime is not ideal, but it is what it is," Elmore said. 

Jones finished with 24 points and five 3s for Garden City. Robinson had 14 points and nine assists but turned the ball over nine times. He was 4-of-14 from the field.  

After a sluggish start in which Garden City trailed by five a few minutes into the game, Elmore's team responded with a 32-11 run capped by Jace Steinmetz's triple from the left corner that put the Broncbusters up 36-20 with 2:30 remaining in the first half. But Garden City didn't score again as the Lopes finished the period on a 7-0 surge, and the Broncbusters' double-digit lead was trimmed to nine at the intermission.