Although Garden City was favored coming into their Western Athletic Conference match up with Liberal, size and speed evened the playing field. The Buffs took the Redskins into overtime and within the final seconds emerged victorious 63-60. The Lady Buffs had a more python-like approach. Once they had a grip on the Lady Skins they sealed their 8-1 record with a 59-26 win.
The Lady Buffs goal was an 8-1 record and they got it. Garden City’s balanced attack allowed junior guard Jacksenie Tornero to steal the show. She had three three-pointers in the first half as well as multiple key steals that resulted in baskets. The Lady Buffs only led the way by three points at the end of the first quarter.
Liberal’s Jai Chapman led the way for the Lady Skins both in the paint and on the perimeter. A powerful lane drive for two points followed by a three point shot kept the Lady Skins within a manageable distance. The Lady Buffs, however, began to tighten their grip and took the lead at halftime 25-12.
Before the Lady Skins could regain momentum the Buffs were back to the ground-and-pound method with Tayrn Temple and Johna McClelland driving through the lane. Just to add some icing to the cake, Tornero sank another three to finalize the chokehold and gave the Lady Buffs the win 59-26.
The boys game was an overtime nail biter but it didn't start that way. Liberal’s bigs sliced through the lane and dominated under the basket to put the Redskins ahead at the end of the first quarter 15-11.
The Buffs battled with everything they had in the second to tie the game at 17 and again at 21. Garden City's Tristan Nanninga added two to give Garden City the lead by one point going into halftime 26-25.
The second half mirrored the first. Liberal depended heavily on 6'4" senior JJ Lewis throughout the game and in the paint is where he took control. At the end of regulation the score was tied at 54.
In overtime the lead shifted back and forth rapidly. Only ten seconds remained on the clock when Buffs senior Bo Banner stepped up and hit his jump shot to put Garden City ahead by three points. As the buzzer sounded, Garden City had nine points in overtime while Liberal fell short with six. The Buffs celebrated a 63-60 victory and advanced to a 7-2 record with much needed momentum as they travel to face the undefeated Hays Indians next.
