Last second shot spoils Lady Cougars’ second straight upset

Fresh off a comeback victory over the conference's second place and nationally receiving votes team, the story book was wrote for a repeat performance for the Barton Community College women's basketball team Wednesday night at Garden City Community College.   In position for their second straight upset over the new second place team after erasing an early fourteen point deficit, Barton's opportunities escaped its grasp on a fade away jumper with 1.3 seconds as the Broncbusters escaped with a 60-58 win at the Dennis Perryman Gymnasium.   The loss drops the Lady Cougars to 4-10 in conference play and 12-13 overall while Garden City improves to 18-7 on the season remaining one game out of the top spot at 12-2.    Barton will next play host to Dodge City Community College on Saturday as the Lady Cougars will look to avenge the season's earlier four point loss to the Lady Conquistadors.  Tip off time is 5:30 p.m. with Hall of Fame festivities taking place immediately following the contest.

Barton's thirteen point first quarter deficit grew to fourteen early in the second before the Lady Cougars started to find their stride.  Behind the nine second quarter points from Dominique Baker, the sophomore guard led the Lady Cougars on 9-0 run to crawl with five midway through the quarter.  Barton would make another run of six straight late in the quarter but a late Buster bucket would give Garden City a 29-26 lead to halftime.

The deficit would remain at three at the quarter midpoint as things began to look bleak as Kilee Harris was sent to the bench with her fourth foul sending Garden City into the bonus with 4:40 to play.  Baker would join Harris on the bench two minutes later and the Busters took full advantage building a six point lead to the fourth.

With Harris and Baker back into the lineup Barton began its climb back into the game.  Following a Jalisa Jones runner in the lane, the Lady Cougars would crank up the defense getting two consecutive Buster turnovers, Jones drawing a charge leading to a Baker bucket in the paint.  Barker would then steal the next Garden City possession finding Harris.  Getting another defensive stand, Baker came up big on an offensive rebound and later in the possession Harris connected on a deep trey giving the Lady Cougars its first lead in the game as Barton held a 49-25 lead with 7:25 to play.  

Neither team would score for the next two minutes until Garden City would string four together ending on a Jones bucket and another defensive stand later, Harris again pushed Barton in front. The Busters struck for another four straight but Baker's and-1 tied the game again and two minutes later, Baker's drive to the hoop and subsequent steal gave the Lady Cougars a 58-56 lead with 1:20 to play with the ball.

Attacking the rim the Lady Cougars grabbed two offensive boards on the possession but third attempt at goal proved unlucky fouling on the rebound sending the Busters to the charity stripe.  Making the first throw, Barton couldn't secure the defensive rebound and fouled the Busters sending Garden City back to the line where another 1-of-2 effort tied the game at 58-all with forty-five seconds on the clock.

Barton worked its possession and shot clock down to single digits but a late turnover kept the Lady Cougars for any chance at a potential game winner as the pressure would now swing to the defense.   Garden City would wave off its opportunity for a timeout, and instead set up the isolation for its top scoring freshman Shayla Dobbins.   With Alexus Bryson guarding her like gum stuck on your shoe, Dobbins cross-over dribble created just enough space to launch an off-balance fade away finding little rim on its way through the hole with 1.3 ticks on the clock.

With one final opportunity after a timeout, Barton's inbound pass in front of their bench was deflected thwarting any Lady Cougar chance.

Three Lady Cougars reached double-digit scoring led by Baker and Harris each scoring sixteen.  Baker, who reached double-digits for the seventh time in the last eight games, also led Barton with five steals while Harris was 3-of-6 behind the arc playing only twenty minutes of court time due to foul trouble.  Jones came off the bench to add eleven while Megan Jirak scored eight while leading Barton with eight rebounds.

Dobbins led Garden City with twenty points on the night getting twelve from the free throw line sinking 12-of-13 trips to the line.  Kavita Akula, who scored the Lady Cougars in the first meeting with eight three-pointers, stayed hot from long range against Barton burying 4-of-5 for twelve points while dishing out a game high four assists.  DaRae Lewis led a slim three rebound advantage for Garden City with fifteen.