Buffaloes Miss Key Chances, Fall Just Short to Lakewood
Garden City High School Boys basketball team hosted Coronado High School during the Roundball Classic on Friday December 9, 2022 at The Garden in Garden City, Kan. The Buffalos the Cougars 83 - 60. Photo credits; Adam Shrimplin, Shrimplin Photography
Colorado Springs, CO. – It was a back-and-forth affair all throughout, neither team able to pull past a double-digit lead at the Coronado Gymnasium.
After controlling a three-point lead at the half, shots just wouldn’t fall in the second 16 for the Buffaloes.
Garden City boy’s basketball dropped their second straight game at the Cougar Tip-Off, losing 48-47 against the Lakewood High Tigers. GCHS was only held below 40 three times last season, and can only look to themselves for their shortcomings.
“In the paint, we were 11-of-23. These are shots that are right next to the rim,” first year head coach Luke Swedberg said. “We need to do a little bit of a better job of putting the ball in the basket.”
The first quarter saw Garden City flash out early. The Buffaloes scored the first seven points of the game, with Emilio Zundt recording three points and two assists.
Zundt would finish with 10 points in the ballgame.
The Buffaloes (0-2) took a 14-10 lead into the end of the first quarter, and held onto it with a three-point halftime lead. Freshman Marcus Bane kept the Tigers in the game with several key three-pointers, bringing the deficit to 23-20.
Bane finished with a career-best 14 points in the victory.
The third quarter saw Lakewood (2-1) blitz the Buffs, out-scoring GCHS, 14-7. Both teams committed countless turnovers in an ugly period. Bane led all scorers with five points.
“These ones aren’t very fun, to think that you deserve to be there,” Swedberg said. “We just have to keep going to work. We can’t allow this one to stop us.”
The Buffaloes would trail by four and get their chances to bring the game level late on. Garden City missed key free throws, with Zundt missing a layup in and out with 40 seconds to go.
“For the most part, I thought we executed okay,” Swedberg said. “Unfortunately, that one just didn’t drop. Sometimes, that’s just how it goes.”
LHS senior Julian Duran would sink a crucial free throw to make it a four-point game. Zundt would hit a three with five seconds to go, but the Tigers would wind out the clock to win by one.
Garden City finishes the Cougar Tip-Off tomorrow against the Palmer Ridge Bears. Tipoff is scheduled for 2:00 P.M., but will vary based on the conclusion of girl’s basketball’s finish. The game will be broadcasted on 99.9 ‘The Rock’.
