Tough shooting night for Broncbusters as they fall to Otero

By Mike Pilosof

Photo by Adam Shrimplin

Garden City, KS-Garden City couldn't miss on Friday night. That wasn't the case less than 24 hours later.

A day after breaking the school record for 3's in a game, the Broncbusters missed 26 of their 35 triple attempts, Emma Florez-Pascual dropped 20 points and grabbed 22 rebounds, and Otero beat the Broncbusters 75-67 Saturday afternoon at Conestoga Arena.

"I thought we battled inside," Head Coach Omega Tandy said. "But because we aren't as big, we have to shoot the ball well. Unfortunately, we didn't shoot it well at all."

Garden City shot a season-low 31 percent from the floor. It was the third time in their first four games that they were under 40.

"I was glad to see that we were only outrebounded by nine and turned them over 22 times," Tandy added. "It was one of those games though where we are obviously growing and learning."

Neither team created much separation in the first half. In fact, there were nine lead changes in the first quarter alone. The Broncbusters built their largest cushion of the game when Tyla Happer made back-to-back jumpers to put Garden City in front 17-14 with 1:34 to play in the opening period. But Otero scored the final four points of the frame and led 18-17 going into the second.

"We were really tested today," Tandy said. "Otero played a great game."

The Broncbusters took the lead once more early in the second quarter following a 3-pointer by Corina Suarez-Tudela and a driving layup by Alyssa Boyce. But the Rattlers responded with a 14-5 run, building a seven-point advantage once Charisse Fairley drilled a 3 from the top of the key to make it 34-27. Otero was up four at the break.

"We didn't play as aggressive as them," said Tandy, whose team shot 17 fewer free throws than the Rattlers. "We made that a point of emphasis."

Then, at the beginning of the third quarter, Otero hit Garden City with a right cross, scoring the first seven points and forcing Tandy to burn a timeout.

"When you can't make shots, it makes everything else tougher," Tandy said.

The Broncbusters missed their first five shots of the second half and went the first 3:38 of the third without scoring a single point. They were down nine going into the fourth.

"I know the ball didn't go in the basket tonight, but I was really proud of our effort," Tandy said.

Garden City pulled within four early in the fourth following Boyce's 15-footer. But that's as close as they got the rest of the way. The Rattlers stretched the lead back to 11 on Sophie Abela's transition layup following a Happer's long miss on a 3.

Leah Mafua scored 12 points and grabbed eight boards in 30 minutes off the bench for the Rattlers. Abela chipped in 11 and Fairley added 11.

Suarez-Tudela was one of only two Broncbusters in double figures with 17. Happer scored 10.

Next up: Garden City vs. NOC-Enid (NOC Enid Classic)-4:45 p.m. pregame; 5 p.m. tip on 99.9 FM; westernkansasnews.com/kwkr and KWKR mobile app