Broncbusters overcome huge deficit; advance to Region VI Quarters

Liberal, KS-Ariyah Brooks has put together her two most impressive performances of the season. And they came when it mattered most. 

The sophomore transfer scored 19 points and pulled down nine rebounds, Demi Black posted a double-double with 12 points and 13 boards, and Garden City upset Seward County, 60-59 in overtime in the opening Round of the Region VI Tournament at the Greenhouse. With the win, the Broncbusters advanced to play Butler in the Quarterfinals on Tuesday night. 

Dayshawna Carter scored 13 points in 41 minutes for Garden City, which despite shooting just 30 percent from the floor, overcame a 17-point first-quarter deficit. They outrebounded the Saints, 49-45 and outscored the home team 18-10 in the paint. 

D'Arrah Allen's 3-pointer with 1:45 to play in the first, gave Seward County a 21-4 advantage. They led by 15 at the end of one. 

But the Broncbusters stabilized in the second. Brooks completed back-to-back three-point plays and Black hit a runner in the paint to cut it to 12. In fact, those two combined for all 18 points in the period as Garden City outscored the Saints, 18-9 to close to within six at the intermission. 

In the third, Black made a free throw and consecutive buckets, and Brooks buried a 2-footer, fueling an 11-0 run to begin the half that gave Garden City a 35-30 edge with 4:55 remaining. Carter then cashed in the final six points of the quarter, becoming the first Broncbuster player other than Black and Brooks to score since Keyhana Turner's midrange jumper with 6:32 to play in the first. Garden City was up, 41-35 going to the fourth. 

Seward County though rallied from a 46-40 deficit to tie the game after Kylee Hunt made 1-of-2 free throws with 31 seconds remaining. On the Broncbusters' ensuing possession, Carter turned it over giving the Saints a chance to win it. But Alianna Colon's 3-pointer clanged off the rim, sending the game into overtime.  

That's where Antwain Scales' team came up big.  

Down by three in the extra session after Hamila Sallat drilled a trey for Seward County, Taya Davis sank two free throws on the other end. On the visitors' next possession, Carter beat two defenders before banking home a five-footer to give Garden City a 55-54 advantage. But the Saints answered moments later when Sallat knocked down a jumper just outside the paint, putting the Saints up, 59-57 with 23 seconds left.  

That's when Scales put the ball back in Davis's hands, and the transfer from Odessa delivered. The sophomore slashed by Sallat for an and-1 layup, Ariana Escalante and Naomi Aragonez missed a pair of shots in the final seconds, and Garden City scratched out a dramatic one-point victory. 

The Broncbusters outscored Seward County 56-38 over the final 30 minutes of the game. 

Davis finished with nine points and two assists for Garden City, which won its first postseason game since April 5, 2021. Turner added four points and three rebounds, and Stevi Yancy made one 3-pointer in 30 minutes off the bench.  

Salat scored a game-high 22 points for Seward County, which finished the year 14-17 overall, their first losing season since 1991-92 under Jim Littell (they were 14-16). De'Shawnti Thomas tallied 12 rebounds.