Garden City drops road test at Independence

By Mike Pilosof

Independence, KS-One poor stretch on Saturday was all it took to blow the game open.

Valentina Ojeda and Delani Harris combined for 27 points on 10-of-16 shooting, Miriam Bazylewicz chipped in 15 in 19 minutes off the bench, and Independence blew past Garden City, 75-45 at the Field House. The loss snapped the Broncbusters perfect 6-0 start and dropped the them to 2-1 in conference play.

Garden City shot a season-worst 24 percent (14-of-58) from the field and turned the ball over 16 times. But the biggest blemish was the bench, which was outscored, 31-3.

The Broncbusters kept things tight in a highly competitive opening quarter. Justis Odom connected on her lone field goal of the game and Donetria McGee slithered inside for 2, putting the Broncbusters up, 12-11 with 2:43 remaining. It was the last time they led.

The Pirates snapped back with five unanswered points and were up two at the end of one.

Independence then put the clamps down in the second quarter, building an eight-point cushion following two free throws by Daija Snipes. But the biggest dagger came in the closing seconds of the half when Na'Khia Attaway got loose for a runner at the buzzer, putting the Pirates up 10 going into the locker room.

Garden City managed to cut the deficit to six midway through the third period following two freebies by Odom. But the Pirates ambushed the visitors over the final five minutes, using an 11-2 surge capped by Mira Khan's buzzer-beating deuce that gave Independence a 52-37 advantage going to the fourth.

The final frame of Saturday's early-season conference clash will remain a blur to Head Coach Antwain Scales. The Broncbusters were outscored 23-8 and clanged eight of their first nine shots of the period. Jayda Vandyke splashed home a 15-footer, and Ojeda put back her own miss to give the Pirates a 67-43 lead with 3:39 left. Delani Harris then provided the final blow with a transition triple, putting the home team up by 26. Meantime the Broncbusters were held scoreless over the final 2:50.

McGee paced Garden City with 19 points on 5-of-11 shooting, but the rest of the team was a combined 9-of-47 (19 percent). Kealani Neves was the only other Broncbuster in double figures with 13.

Ojeda grabbed a game-best nine rebounds for Independence, which abused the Broncbusters inside, outscoring them 38-18 in the paint. They also outrebounded Garden City, 44-32.

Next up: Garden City vs. Colby-Wednesday, Dec. 1-5:30 p.m.