Barton women's struggles continue with loss at Garden; fall to 20-4
The Barton County Community College women's basketball team continued its recent struggles, losing for the 3rd time in 4 games Wednesday night in Garden City at the Perryman Activities Complex. The Cougars fell to the Broncbusters in overtime, 66-62. The loss was the toughest to date for Barton, which had lost its two previous West games to Cloud County and Seward County – teams at or near the top of the West. This one came at the expense of Garden City, who entered the game at just 3-6 in West play. The loss drops Barton to 20-4 for the season and 7-3 in the West while Garden is now 11-13 and 4-6. The Cougars will off Saturday before hosting West leader Colby Wednesday at the Barton County Gym. Barton could pull back to within a game of the West lead with a win over Colby.
Highlights
It was a contest that saw 15 ties and 12 lead changes between the two schools. Neither team led by more than 7 points in the contest the entire night. Barton led by those 7 points in the final minute of the opening half before Garden cut the lead to 26-21 by intermission.
The 2nd half would not be as kind to the Cougars. After limiting the Broncbusters to just 27 percent shooting in the 1st half, Garden City hit a sizzling 57 percent from the floor in the 2nd 20 minutes of play. That hot shooting allowed Garden to build a 6-point lead on Barton, 47-41, with just 7 minutes left in the contest. But the Cougars followed with a 10-3 run and when Brianna Buchanan hit a jumper, Barton had taken a 51-50 lead with 3:42 to play. Three ties and 5 lead changes later, Brandi Harris gave the Cougars a 58-56 lead on a huge 3-pointer from the left corner with just 19 seconds to play in regulation. But just when it looked like Barton might escape with a win, Garden's Renee Berry hit a high-arching shot in the lane with 4 seconds to play to even the score force overtime.
Garden scored the 1st 5 points of the overtime before the Cougars finally scored with 3:20 to play in the overtime to make it 63-60. Maya Onikute, who played for the 1st time in 8 games after suffering a concussion the last time the two teams met, made it 63-62 with 1:27 to play, but that would be the final points for Barton. Buchanan paced Barton with 13 points while Sunshine Uli added 12. Onikute had 8 points and 7 assists in her return to action. Sharece Love led Barton with 10 rebounds.
Stats
Complete stats can be found at www.bartonccc.edu/sports
Next
Wed., Feb. 15 – v Colby, 6 pm (Jayhawk West play at the Barton County Gym)