No. 1 Blue Dragons Prove Too Much for Lady Busters in Regular Season Finale

GARDEN CITY, Kan. – Perfection was achieved for the fourth time in Hutchinson’s program history. What’s made Jon Ontjes’ Hutchinson so good in his tenure is the ability to adjust and respond to so many little situations.

These little problems led to bigger ones for Garden City on Wednesday night.

The Garden City Lady Broncbusters battled hard but didn’t have enough against the No. 1 Hutchinson Blue Dragons, 74-64, at Conestoga Arena. Garden City finishes the 2023-2024 season as the seventh seed in the Jayhawk Conference.

Garden City (16-13, 11-13 KJCCC) came into Wednesday’s game playing its best defense of the season, surrendering only 52.0 PPG in their last four. The game started strong, holding the Jayhawk’s No. 1 offense to two of eight from the floor.

The lead changed back and forth throughout the first, but the Broncbusters turned it on at the start of the second. GCCC scored nine straight points, capped off by a C.C. Driessen fast break layup, to lead, 20-16.

Driessen led all Broncbusters in the first half, scoring eight points.

Hutchinson (30-0, 24-0 KJCCC) guard Kiki Smith provided the Dragons’ guard play in the middle of the game. HCC started two-of-eight from three in the first half, but Smith would drill two in the final minute of the second quarter, followed up by a Hailey Jackson layup to give Hutchinson a 29-22 halftime lead.

Smith stayed hot out of the break, aiding the Blue Dragons’ escape. The freshman poured in 11 third-quarter points, swishing all three triples in the frame to put Hutchinson ahead by eight heading into the fourth.

Smith finished with a game-high 28 points, going six-of-nine from three.

Garden City showed heart late, but couldn’t quite muster up enough to come from behind. Miya Nieto and Antonicia Moultrie combined for 12 of GCCC’s 20 fourth-quarter points, but couldn’t hold Hutchinson in check.

Nieto finished with the game-high 16 points for Garden City, while Moultrie posted her eighth double-double of the season, closing with 10 points and 13 rebounds.

The Lady Busters close their regular season with a final record of 16 wins and 13 losses, not making up its missed game with NOC-Enid. Garden City will host in the first round of the KJCCC Tournament, their opponent will be named later this week.

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