Scoring droughts are common in basketball and many teams are able to overcome them. Then there is the scoring drought the Barton Community College women’s basketball team suffered through Wednesday night at the Barton Gym.
The Cougars could not find a point for nearly 15 minutes to close out the first half and start the second half. That was more than the difference as Barton lost its Jayhawk West home opener to Garden City 52-47.
“We played extremely hard and did a good job of executing our defensive game plan.” Coach Carter Kruger said. “Unfortunately we weren’t able to make enough plays on the offensive end. We will need a few more people to step up and provide a scoring punch as we continue through conference.”
The Cougars led 18-14 with 3:45 left to play in the opening half following a Phikala Anthony bucket before someone put a lid on the basket. By the time Bethany Bowman scored Barton’s next point with 10:13 left in the game the Cougars were down by 20 points. Bowman’s bucket cut it to 38-20 ending a 24-0 run by the Broncbusters – a stretch of 14 minutes.
During those 14 scoreless minutes Barton turned the ball over 10 times and went 0-for-12 on field goals including 0-for-8 on 3’s.
Following Bowman’s put back to break the drought, the Cougars did everything they could to claw their way back into the contest. Over the next four minutes Barton outscored Garden City 14-4 to make it a 42-32 game with six minutes left. Phikala Anthony led the surge with six points and Indiah Cauley four as Barton attempted a furious late rally.
The Cougars continued to whittle away eventually getting it to 50-44 in the final minute and to three with five seconds left but no closer as there just wasn’t enough time left in the game to dig themselves out of the big hole they put themselves in.
Anthony led the way for Barton in the loss, scoring nearly half the Cougars total. Anthony ended the night with 23 points but took 25 shots to do it. The sophomore added 12 rebounds as well for back-to-back double-doubles. Brandi Williams also had 12 rebounds as well.
Justina James and Loysha Morris each scored 17 to lead the Broncbusters, who improved to 1-2 in the West and 10-7 overall.
Barton now gets Butler College, which is coming off a big loss at No. 2 ranked Hutchinson. The Cougars, 1-1 in the West and 11-3 overall, will travel to El Dorado Saturday for a date with Butler (8-2, 1-1) at the Power Plant. Tip is set for 2 pm.
“Butler is a similar team from a defensive standpoint to Garden City – long, athletic, and great at helping each other,” Coach Kruger said. “We will have to learn from tonight and execute better Saturday in El Dorado.”