Broncbusters drop overtime thriller to Hutchinson

By Mike Pilosof

Photo by Adam Shrimplin

Garden City, KS-January's thriller between Garden City and Hutchinson at the Sports Arena will go down as one of the best Junior College regular season games in recent memory. The rematch a little more than a month later, wasn't too shabby either.

Jacquez Yow poured in 39 points, Kobe Campbell tallied 18 points and 10 rebounds, and the Blue Dragons surged past the Broncbusters, 120-113 in double overtime Wednesday night at Conestoga Arena. Garden City ended the regular season 21-9 overall and 15-9 in the Jayhawk. They enter the Region Tournament as the No. 4 seed and earned a first-round bye.

"I was proud of our team performance," Head Coach, Bill Morosco said afterwards. "You can lose a game and still play well. Hutchinson just had a little bit more in the tank than we did.

Garden City lost the game despite hoisting 47 free throws, the second most in a game this year. They shot 42 percent from the floor but tied their season-high with 27 turnovers, which led to 26 points. Meantime Hutchinson dished out 30 assists on 43 made baskets and outscored the Broncbusters 66-44 in the paint.

"We started the sophomores tonight, and they gave us great energy," Morosco stated. "I told them not to hang their head on this one."

After back-to-back losses, Garden City appeared rejuvenated on Wednesday. And when Mohamed Diara slipped a pocket pass to Josh Nwankwo, who drilled a 3-pointer from the top of the key, the Broncbusters had their largest lead, 49-33 with 5:20 left in the half. But just like the first meeting, Hutchinson quickly erased the double-digit deficit, utilizing a 22-10 run capped by Angelo Stuart's half-court bank shot at the buzzer that trimmed Garden City's lead to 59-55 at the intermission.

"That shot before the half was definitely a momentum killer," Morosco added.

The Broncbusters had an eight-point cushion with 6:30 remaining after Mike Carson buried two free throws. But Yow responded with a quick 3-pointer at the other end, Nate Goodlow took the ball away from Micah Octave and hammered it home, and Stuart swished a pair of freebies to make it a one-point game.

"A double-digit lead doesn't mean anything when you play this type of style," Morosco said.

Stuart added two more free throws in the final minute to stretch the Hutchinson lead to 100-97. But the Broncbusters gave themselves a chance to win it in regulation. Heru Bligen split two free throws, Diarra went 1-of-2, and Stuart turned the ball over with 10 seconds remaining giving Garden City one last crack. Following a timeout, Morosco put the ball in Diarra's hands, and the sophomore drew a foul on Cecil Lee. He hit the first charity shot to tie it but missed the second. Campbell grabbed the rebound for the Blue Dragons before his 45-foot rainbow hit the back rim, sending the game into overtime.

"If we hit one free throw, we win the game, despite everything else that happened," Morosco said.

In the extra session, Garden City appeared gassed. Campbell hit a step-back jumper, Kaimen Lennox drove to the rim for two, and Yow hit a crushing 3-pointer to put Hutchinson up 107-102. Lennox added back-to-back scoops at the basket, and the Blue Dragons clinched the No. 2 seed in the Jayhawk.

Hutchinson finished 43-of-95 (45 percent) from the field and 27-of-33 (82 percent) from the line. Stuart scored 17 points, and Lennox had 10.

Tone Hunter, who came off the bench for the first time this season because of sophomore night, poured in 22 points on 7-of-13 shooting for Garden City. Diarra had 18 points and 12 rebounds, and Bligen added 14.

Next up: Garden City vs. Coffeyville/Seward winner-Tuesday, March 1-7 p.m.