Broncbusters split with Cowley

Garden City, Kan. (westernkansasnews.com)–Monday night saw the Garden City Broncbusters play host to the Cowley Tigers inside Conestoga Arena in their final games before the Christmas break. It would be a doubleheader split, as the Lady Busters picked up a 56-45 win, while the Tiger men rallied for a 79-71 victory.

Garden City Women 56, Cowley 45
Garden City led for a vast majority of the game, but couldn’t put away the Lady Tigers until late. The Lady Busters led 18-11 after the first quarter, and by 10 points in the second quarter, but Cowley would tie the game late in the first half at 25. A Garden City free throw gave them a one point lead at the break at 26-25. The Lady Busters pulled away in the third frame, after being tied at 28, using an 11-4 run to lead 39-32. Cowley (7-7, 2-6) would pull to within 47-45 with 7:29 left, before a Garden City 10-0 run gave the Lady Busters a 57-45 lead with 5:29 left. The closest the Lady Tigers would get was six at 58-52, before Garden City (7-7, 3-5) picked up a 56-45 win. 

Destiny Smith came off the bench to pour in a career-high 22 points, and hit six three’s, while Dayshawna Carter also had 22 points, and Taya Davis had 11 points and 13 assists. Cowley was led by Baylee Finsher’s 14 points, Gracie Gilpin had 12 and Carson Dean added 11. The Lady Busters have won back to back games.

Cowley Men 79, Garden City 71
The Broncbusters were looking to stay in the top four of the conference standings with one game left before the break. Cowley had other plans. The Tigers jumped out to an early five point lead at 7-2, two minutes into the game. Garden City rallied with a 12-5 run to lead 19-15 with about nine minutes left before the break. Cowley (9-5, 3-5) would counter with a 13-2 run over the next three minutes to lead 28-21 with 5:30 left before the half, and took a 39-33 lead into the break. It looked as if the Busters got things figured out in the second half. Garden City (9-4, 4-4) used a 15-5 run over a four-minute stretch of the second half to lead 59-50 with 9:19 left. When it looked like the Busters would take full control over, the Tigers used a 21-5 run to lead 73-66 with 2:45 left. Cowley put the game away at the free throw line and came away with a 79-71 win. 

Leading the way for the Tigers was Mehki Cameron with 27 points, while Jeff Nwankwo added 13 and Cameron Jernigan added 12. Garden City was led by DaJion Humphrey’s 24 points, while Jaborri McGee and Larry Olayink had 10 points, and Aundre Polk added 10 points and had 12 rebounds.

Garden City will return to action on Wednesday, January 4, 2023, at home against Pratt.