Lady Busters Go Cold Late in Loss at Barton

GREAT BEND, Kan. – Head coach Greg Franklin described Barton as a long, athletic basketball team. A squad that held Garden City to just 53 points in the first meeting between the two.

They did even better defensively in game two.

The Garden City Lady Broncbusters played out a low-scoring affair at Barton Gymnasium, losing to the Barton Cougars, 50-41. Garden City was held to just 15 points after halftime, their fewest all season.

The Broncbusters’ February forte had been their tremendous defense. Garden City (15-12, 10-12 KJCCC) started the game by playing great on their end and executing on the other.

GCCC scored half of its first quarter points off turnovers, taking a 14-8 lead. Boxer Conley started the second quarter off with a fast break layup to bring the lead to eight.

Barton (20-7, 15-6 KJCCC) got their offense going from beyond the arch. The Cougars went four-for-seven from long range in the second, with Tatum Boettjer drilling three of them.

Sophomore Darby Smith hit the go-ahead triple in the final possession of the first half, putting BCC ahead, 28-26. Garden City led for 14:45 of the first half.

Barton held Garden City to just five third-quarter points and showed that same defensive prowess at Barton Gymnasium. Garden City scored just seven third-quarter points, with forward Antonicia Moultrie scoring five of them.

Moultrie finished with seven points but grabbed a team-high 12 rebounds.

Vera Onjenuwa went to work in the late stages of the frame. The freshman center posted 12 points out of halftime, helping the Cougars grow the lead to 10.

Garden City just couldn’t hit their shots late on. Garden City missed 15 shots in the fourth quarter, shooting just seven-of-32 in the second 20.

The Lady Busters finish the season with their final two contests at home. Garden City welcomes 15th-ranked Dodge City to Conestoga Arena next Saturday, with the Broncbusters’ broadcast available at 1:40 P.M. on 99.9 ‘The Rock’.