Hutch runs right past Garden City

By Mike Pilosof

Hutchinson, KS-This just in: Tahlik Chavez is pretty good. Unfortunately on Saturday, he didn't have much help.

Clarence King scored 16 points, Saquan Singleton added 12 points and eight boards, and Hutchinson ran away from Garden City 82-68 at the Sports Arena.

"If we played in the first half like we did in the second, we might have had a chance," Broncbusters' coach Patrick Nee said. "But we didn't. We had guys doing their own thing again."

Chavez did his part in the losing effort, scoring 31 and drilling six 3's. He and Michael Frazier tallied 48 points on 16-of-31 shooting. The rest of the team combined to score 20 on 7-of-29 from the floor (24 percent).

"Unfortunately, we didn't have much help on offense," Nee said. "And that's a problem."

Those problems were compounded by the fact that Garden City missed nine of their first 10 shots to begin the game. Meantime Hutchinson couldn't miss, and when King hit back-to-back buckets four minutes in, the Blue Dragons were up 8-2.

"We didn't do anything well in the first half," Nee explained.

Chavez got the Broncbusters within two with a pair of triples, but it was all Hutchinson from there. Singleton got to the rim for two, King hit two free throws and a layup, and the Blue Dragons ripped off 12 straight points to take a 20-8 advantage with 11:17 remaining in the half. During the same time, Garden City managed just three field goals over a nine-minute stretch, digging themselves into a 17-point hole, 31-14 after Tyler Brown drained a long ball.

"We just came in not ready to play," Nee said. "And it showed."

It only got worse from there.

DJ Mitchell got free for two, King hit an off-balance layup, Brown knocked down a midrange jumper, and Hutchinson stretched the lead to 39-16. They were up 46-23 at the break.

"Transition absolutely killed us," Nee said. "We didn't get back, and they made us pay."

In the second half, Garden City was more aggressive, cutting the deficit to 13 after Chavez completed a four-point play and a hit a 3 from the right wing to make it 50-37 with 16 minutes to go. After Hutchinson pushed the lead back to 17, the Broncbusters came right back. Osborne knocked down a baseline jumper, Frazier hit a layup, and Chavez connected from the midrange, pulling the Broncbusters to within 12, 62-50 with 8:30 left.

That's as close as they got the rest of the way.

Majok Kuath answered with two free throws and a dunk for Hutchinson, Brown hit a step back from the left arc, and the Blue Dragons were back up 19 with 1:27 to play.

"Our season is Monday; period," Nee said. "We have to win Monday if we want to make the tournament."

Garden City shot under 40 percent for the second straight game (38 percent), dropping their seventh straight contest. Frazier added 17 points and nine rebounds, but Traylynn Spencer was 0-for-10 from the field, finishing off the worst game of his career.

Kuath scored 13 points for Hutchinson, who rebounded from an overtime loss to Northwest Tech on Wednesday. Mitchell added 12, and Brown scored 11 points and pulled down eight boards.

Next up: Garden City vs. NW Tech-Monday, Feb. 10-8 p.m. tip on 99.9 FM; westernkansasnews.com/kwkr and KWKR mobile app