Stellar defensive effort helps Broncbusters take down Coffeyville

Garden City, KS-Garden City's defense is changing the game.  

The Broncbusters forced 20 turnovers, Antonicia Moultrie had four steals to go along with 13 points and 10 rebounds, and Garden City beat Coffeyville, 65-57 Wednesday night at Conestoga Arena. 

Maya Nieto, who started for the injured Stevi Yancy, scored 20 points on 5-of-8 shooting for the Broncbusters, which won for the fifth time in their last six games to improve to 15-11 overall and 10-11 in conference play. Ana Ramos Pires finished with 10 points and four rebounds.  

Garden City came flying out of the gates, getting a pair of early triples from Nieto that spearheaded an 11-1 run to close the opening quarter that put Greg Franklin's team up, 17-6. Nieto nailed another 3-pointer midway through the second quarter, and Sariah Conley found Moultrie for a driving layup that put the Broncbusters ahead, 30-19 at the half.  

Garden City pushed the lead to as many as 15 two minutes into the third period on a beautiful slip pass from Nieto to Ramos Pires that made it 36-21. They were up 11 heading to the fourth. 

But foul trouble nearly cost the Broncbusters again. 

Sierra Driessen fouled out with 7:08 remaining. Moments later, after the freshman guard pounded her hand into the padding behind the backboard out of frustration, she was whistled for a technical foul.  

Coffeyville, which dropped to 17-9 overall and 12-8 in conference, cashed in after that, utilizing a 12-4 run capped by Natalya Jones' driving layup that pulled the Red Ravens within four, 52-48 with 2:41 to go. 

But after Franklin called timeout to settle his team down, Conley drained 11 straight free throws to put the game away.  

The Broncbusters finished 25-of-28 at the line and were 4-of-10 from long range. They produced 13 assists and outrebounded Coffeyville, 28-27. 

Driessen scored just five points in 27 foul-plagued minutes but dished out four assists and had two steals for Garden City. 

Kyleigh Ortiz and Ivy Fox each tallied 15 points for Coffeyville.