Lady Buffaloes Fall at Liberal in Regular Season Finale
Garden City High School girls basketball team hosted Dodge City High School on Tuesday, February 13, 2024 at The Garden in Garden City, Kan. The Lady Buffaloes defeated the Red Demons 35 - 31. Photo credits; Adam Shrimplin, Shrimplin Photography
LIBERAL, Kan. – For the second-straight game in the Western Athletic Conference, things got out of hand fast for Garden City.
The Buffaloes recorded one of their best wins in years against Dodge City last Tuesday. One week removed, GCHS has recorded its worst consecutive losses in the Jacob Miller era.
The Garden City Lady Buffaloes were defeated in their last regular season game by the Liberal Lady Redskins, who handed the Buffaloes a 57-15 defeat.
Liberal scored on each of its first four possessions, building an early seven-point advantage, but the Buffaloes would punch back. K.J. Pinchon banked a transition three-pointer, followed by free throws from Alexa Escobedo to bring the lead to just two.
“I liked how aggressive we were being,” Miller said. “We were attacking, playing our style of ball.”
The first quarter ended 10-7, Liberal, but the second quarter was all Lady Red. It opened on an 8-0 run for LHS, and after a timeout by head coach, Brandi Fowler, things only got better for the hosts.
Senior Hailey Contreras caught fire in the second, hitting three straight field goals and two three-pointers. Her 14 first-half points put Garden City (9-11, 1-7 WAC) down, 29-7, going into the second half.
“She got hot, we couldn’t contain her,” Miller said, about Contreras. “We were playing a step behind on defense, all night.”
Liberal (13-6, 4-3 WAC) kept their foot on the gas out of halftime, pouring in another 19 points in the third quarter. Contreras continued to cook the Buffaloes’ defense, scoring 10 points in the frame.
Contreras finished with 29 points in her final regular season home game.
Garden City managed just eight points in the second half. Five of them came from senior Miraya Martinez, who closed with a game-high seven for the Buffaloes.
It was the second time Martinez led GCHS in scoring.
The Lady Buffaloes close their regular season with a record of 9-11. The Buffaloes’ sub-state semifinal matchup is still to be determined, awaiting the results of Thursday night’s matchup of Wichita East and Wichita Southeast. Times will be announced later this week.
Jacob Miller interview
