GARDEN CITY, Kan. - The Independence Men’s Basketball team ended their season in heartbreaking fashion as they fell 88-86 in overtime to Garden City on Saturday evening.

In the third matchup of the season between the two teams, Independence was looking for their first win over Garden City, and the game got off to a slow start as over two minutes in the game was still scoreless. Garden City struck first with a bucket from Boston Harker, before Indy answered with a three by Chiante Tramble on the next possession. The two teams traded buckets for much of the first half, while Indy was able to push their lead to four at one point, before Garden City answered with an 11-0 run to give them their largest lead of the half at eight. Indy was able to claw their way back as a Chiante Tramble three pointer tied the game at 30 with three minutes in the first half. Garden City jumped up four points again, before back to back buckets from Chris Dockery tied the game at 34 at the half. 

After trading buckets early in the second half, Garden City went on a run to push their lead to eleven with 12 minutes in the half. Still up 10 at the nine minute mark, Indy started to cut into the Garden City lead as Chiante Tramble and Jahmari Hamilton-Brown hit back to back three pointers to quickly cut the lead to four. Garden City pushed their lead back to nine with six minutes left before Indy cashed in five free throws over the next few possessions. At 74-69 with just over a minute left, a Trashaun Combs-Pierce three pointer cut the lead to two, and added a free throw to complete the four point play. After a pair of free throws, a Chris Dockery bucket cut Garden City lead to one with 14 seconds. Garden City cashed in two more free throws, and Trashaun Combs-Pierce came up big again as he buried a three pointer from the top of the arch to tie the game with eight seconds, eventually leading to overtime.

In overtime, Indy jumped out to a quick six point lead, and maintained that lead until the two minute mark in overtime. Garden City was able to score on each of their final four possessions, as eventually Boston Harker hit a layup to tie the game at 86, and after a pair of missed free throws, Harker buried a jump shot with just seconds left. Chiante Tramble's last second prayer clanged off the rim, and the Broncbusters advanced to the KJCCC Quarterfinals.

The loss ends the Pirates season, as they finish with a 12-19 record overall in Coach Jai Steadman’s second season.