Busters blow lead late; fall to Otero

Audio Highlights: GCCC vs. Otero

Garden City, Kan (westernkansasnews.com)-The theme on Tuesday night: Missed opportunities; something that will be a hard pill for Buster fans to swallow.

Chris Golden scored a game-high 18 points including his own little 5-0 spurt late in the second half, as Otero came back to nip Garden City 60-57. 

“We contained him all game and then he (Golden) took over,” Busters Coach Brady Trenkle said afterwards. “In the end, we held them, but it doesn’t mean anything. The win is all that matters and we didn’t get it done.”

And it appeared they would. Otero (4-1) watched their 10-point lead evaporate early in the second half and were down six with under seven minutes to play. But Golden and transfer guard Jalen Little kept the foot on the gas, and the Rattlers grabbed the lead with 20 seconds to go. 

Following a timeout, the Busters had a chance to tie the game. But Jalen Variste missed two, chip-shot layups, only to have the second carom of the rim right to Otero forward Shun Williams. 

“We had a one-four set and we couldn’t make a layup,” Trenkle said. “How disappointing is that? How many times did we miss close shots in and around the basket all night.”

Sophomore Jade Cathey had one of his most complete games of the young season-finishing with 13 points and seven rebounds. But the all-conference honorable mention was saddled with foul trouble for the majority of the night. 

“I’ve got guys that will fight to the end, and Jade is definitely one of those guys, Trenkle said. “I have guys who want to fight and others that don’t.”

Next up: Garden City at Otero, CO-Tuesday, November 19; 7:15 pm pregame on AM 1030 KBUF; online: westernkansasnews.com/kbuf and kbufmobile.com

Final Stats: GCCC vs. Otero