Backcourt Duo Shines as Broncbusters Basketball Pulls Away Against Colby
Garden City Community College mens basketball team hosted Colby Community College on Saturday, November 18, 2023 at Conestoga Arena in Garden City, Kan. The Busters defeated the Trojans 73 - 56. Photo credits; Adam Shrimplin, Shrimplin Photography
GARDEN CITY, KS. – Second-year head coach Rusty Elmore said before the season that it would be hard to find a better backcourt duo at the NJCAA level than what he had.
The transfer duo of Brody Robinson and Braxton Jones complemented each other perfectly, with Robinson’s stellar playmaking combined with Jones’ quick trigger jump shots.
The two proved too much for their first conference opponent.
The Garden City Broncbusters opened up conference play with a thrilling victory, downing the Colby Trojans, 73-56, at Conestoga Arena on Saturday afternoon. Jones and Robinson combined for 47 points in the victory, while holding Colby’s starting guards to a combined six points in the second half.
“I thought we defended our tails off,” Elmore said. “Thank goodness Braxton Jones is on my team, he can really shoot that ball.”
Jones paved the way for Garden City (4-2, 1-0 KJCCC), yet again. The Hartford transfer led Garden City in scoring for the fifth straight game, pouring in 26 points in the victory. The two got off to slower starts out of the gate, combining to go four-of-13 in the second half.
Garden City still led the game by two at the break, despite leading by as much as 10 early on. The one-two punch of Marko Malekinusic and Maxence Massadila combined for 22 of Colby’s (4-3, 0-1 KJCCC) 33 first-half points.
The second half, as always for Jones, is where things opened up. Jones started the half with two quick three pointers, right after Robinson opened the half with a quick five points.
“If you’re not there on the catch for Braxton, he’s going to drill it,” Elmore said. “They’ve been really good all year. The games that they haven’t been good, we lost.”
Robinson would record 21 points with a career-high 11 assists for his first-ever double-double. Many of his assists found Jones, who benefited with a third straight 20-point performance.
“My teammates find open gaps for me to get open shots,” Jones said. “I have a great point guard, and everybody’s looking out for each other.”
Garden City has now won three games in a row, shooting 80 per cent, or better, at the free throw line in each game. Elmore has referenced that the guard play in the Jayhawk Conference is important, and with guard play like Saturday, Garden City truly can be a force in this conference.
The Broncbusters make the trip to Independence on Tuesday to face a struggling Pirates squad for their first conference road trip. Coverage beings following the conclusion of women’s basketball’s game on KWKR 99.9 ‘The Rock’.
