By The Telegram Sports Staff

It's hard enough winning a basketball game with just 50 points, but to do it shooting just 30.8 percent from the floor makes it even harder.

The Garden City Community College Broncbusters found out the hard way Wednesday as Cloud County pulled away for a 61-50 Jayhawk Conference win,

The loss puts the Broncbusters in an even deeper hole in the conference standings as they are fourth in the Western Division, three games back of third place Cloud County..

"We didn't play with any energy," GCCC head coach Kris Baumann said. "That goes back to me and there is any where to point a finger its at me. I didn't have them ready to play."

Both offense's struggled early as the Thunderbirds didn't reach 20 points until a Oleg Kovalov free throw at the 5:15 mark of the first half. The Busters went into halftime trailing 24-19.

The second half wasn't any better as Cloud County didn't add to its lead until a pair of Rudy Meo free throws one minute, 37 seconds into the half. The Busters didn't score their first points after the break until Jordan Ragan knocked down a 3-pointer with 16:25 left. It took almost five minutes more before Garden City (17-8, 6-6) scored again on a Damien Young jumper that made it 41-24. From there on, the Busters cut the deficit inside 10 points. They didn't cut it to the final margin until Young hit a 3-pointer with 26 seconds left.

"I thought Cloud really picked it up, and we just did a poor job of picking up their pressure," Baumann said. "I'm disappointed in the way our guys played. We're trying to get a top four spot in the conference and now we're in a dogfight."

No player scored in double-figures for Garden City as Ragan finished with a team-high nine.

Cloud County (16-9, 8-3) was led by Jemel Farmer and Meo with 15 points apiece.

The Busters will be at home Saturday to play Barton County. The game tips-off at 7:30 p.m.

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Cloud County 61, Garden City 50

GARDEN CITY (17-8, 6-6): Flemming 1-5 0-2 2, McNabb 0-0 0-0 0, Young 3-8 1-1 8, Ragan 3-9 1-2 9, Tarvin 2-4 0-0 5, Gantz 0-0 0-0 0, Claitt 2-10 3-4 8, Baird 1-3 1-2 3,3 Ottley 3-8 3-3 9, Brown 1-2 3-4 5, Link 0-4 1-2 1. Totals 16-53 13-20 50.

CLOUD COUNTY (16-9, 8-3): Kovolov 3-5 1-2 8, Tate 1-1 0-0 2, Russell 1-4 4-6 6, Adams 1-5 0-0 3, Moss 0-2 0-0 0, Antenen 1-2 0-0 2, Farmer 5-11 5-5 15, Meo 2-8 11-12 15, Blocker 2-6 1-4 6, White-Ready 2-6 0-0 4, Taylor 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 18-50 22-29 61.¼

Halftime--Cloud County 24-19. 3-Point Goals--Garden City 5-20 (Ragan 2-8, Young 1-5, Claitt 1-3, Tarvin 1-1), Cloud County 3-14 (Adams 1-4, Kovalov 1-2, Blocker 1-1). Fouled Out--None. Rebounds--Garden City 38 (Link 5), Cloud County 39 (Russell 6). Assists--Garden City 6 (Flemming 2), Cloud County 9 (Adams 4). Total Fouls--Garden City 19, Cloud County 18.