Garden City snaps skid; dominates Cloud

Garden City, KS-Greg Franklin's anxiety was palpable entering the fourth quarter. Could you blame him?  

After blowing a 21-point second-half lead to Pratt on Wednesday, the National Championship winning coach breathed a sigh of relief as he watched his team finally end their eight-game skid.  

Sierra Driessesn poured in 26 points, Stevi Yancy added 20, and the Broncbusters toppled Cloud County, 80-65 Saturday afternoon at Conestoga Arena. Garden City improved to 11-10 overall and 6-10 in league play.  

Sariah Conley scored 14 and Antonicia Moultrie chipped in nine points, 11 rebounds, and three steals for Garden City, which won its first game since Dec. 9. Ana Ramos Pires had a game-high 12 rebounds before fouling out late in the fourth quarter. 

The Broncbusters never trailed in this one, building a four-point lead after one before Conley's 3-pointer with 49 seconds left in the half put the home team up 37-25. They were up 11 at the intermission. 

Early in the second half, Yancy drilled a triple from the top of the key; then beat two defenders to the paint for a floater, Driessen slashed inside for a layup before connecting on a 14-foot baseline jumper, and Garden City had a 14-point edge. Maya Nieto followed later in the period with a buzzer-beating rainbow 3, and the Broncbusters were up 58-41 heading to the fourth. 

Garden City shot 52 percent from the field and 8-of-22 (36 percent) from downtown. They outrebounded the Thunderbirds, 32-31 and produced 22 assists on their 29 made field goals. They also forced 19 Cloud County turnovers.  

Josephine Igherighe scored 26 points for the Thunderbirds, which lost their second straight game. Bailey Burns chipped in 14 points, and Maimouna Sissoko had 11 rebounds.