Odom and Neves lead Garden City to win over Dodge City

By Mike Pilosof

Photo by Adam Shrimplin

Garden City, KS-When it mattered most, Kealani Neves delivered again.

The sophomore guard finished with a game-high 18 points, Justis Odom added 12 points and 10 rebounds, and Garden City downed rival Dodge City, 59-54 Thursday night at Conestoga Arena. It was the Broncbusters second straight win, which improved Antwain Scales' team to 15-7 overall and 10-7 in league play.

Garden City won the game despite shooting just 39.6 percent from the field and 2-of-13 from 3. They outrebounded the Conquistadors 34-30 and produced 24 points in the paint.

The Broncbusters shook off a slow start to claim a 16-12 advantage after one. In the second, Ashton McCorry made two free throws, Donetria McGee sliced inside before hitting an off-balance runner, and Alexis Smith nailed a midrange shot to put Garden City up 10 with seven minutes to go in the first half. Moments later, McCorry rattled home a 10-footer, and the Broncbusters had their largest cushion of the night, 24-13. But Scales' bunch went cold to close the first half, and Dodge City finished the second on a 13-4 run to make it a two-point contest at the break.

The Conquistadors kept pushing early in the third, extending to a nine-point lead on Blanche Mapuya's jumper that made it 39-32 with 1:43 remaining. But the Broncbusters responded, scoring the final seven points of the period including Neves's 3-pointer from the wing that knotted the score at 39 heading to the fourth.

Neves hit a contested shot from eight feet, Keyhana Turner wedged one home from the block, and Neves connected from deep to give the Broncbusters a 48-43 lead with 4:25 left.

That's when Scales' team dug deep.

Down four with less than 30 seconds remaining, Dodge City's Bree Stephens swished two free throws. On the other end, Neves hit 1-of-2 at the line, leaving the door open for the Conquistadors. After Landon Steele called a timeout, the first-year coach had his team set a flare screen at the top of the key for Stephens, who hoisted a 24-footer that rimmed out. Odom grabbed the rebound, hit two free throws at the other end, and Garden City walked away with a season split with the Conquistadors.

Odom finished 5-of-10 from the field in 27 productive minutes for Garden City. Turner added seven points and four boards off the bench, and McCorry finished with nine points on 3-of-5 shooting.

Krystina Hagood paced Dodge City with 12 points in 38 minutes. Jada Burton and Destinee Paulk each had 10.

Next up: Garden City at Seward-Saturday, Feb. 5-6 p.m.