Neves explodes for 25; Garden City runs away from Trinidad State

By Mike Pilosof

Trinidad, CO-Kealani Neves's basketball odyssey has taken her from Utah to Hawaii, back to Utah, the Pacific Northwest, and now Garden City. She played at three different high schools; then spent a season as a star guard at Southwestern Oregon Community College, before transferring to play for Antwain Scales. So, to say her path to being a Broncbuster was circuitous, may be the biggest understatement in history.

But this coaching staff is sure glad she took the route that she did.

The sophomore scored 19 of her career-best 25 points in the second half, Alexis Smith added 18, and Garden City improved to 5-0 for the first time in nine years with an 81-58 win over Trinidad State Monday night at Scott Gymnasium. It was the Broncbusters fourth straight win by double digits.

"I know we won the game, but I'm truly disappointed in the way that we played tonight," Scales said afterwards. "Turnovers cost us, and we couldn't make free throws."

Truth be told, this game was far from Garden City's finest performance. The Broncbusters missed 16 freebies, turned the ball over 25 times and let Trinidad State mount a comeback in the third quarter. But what's more impressive than anything: the Broncbusters were able to sleepwalk to a 23-point victory.

"On paper, we should have lost this game," Scales admitted.

But as poorly as the Broncbusters shot at the line, they made up for it from distance. Garden City finished a season-best 7-of-10 from long-range including a perfect 3-of-3 during a 27-point fourth-quarter eruption that turned an 11-point lead into a runaway. Neves canned a 3-pointer from the wing; then two more from the corner, as Garden City opened a 74-54 advantage with 1:35 remaining.  

"Everybody has to do their part," Scales said. "Kealani stepped up big for us, and we needed it."

Neves was efficient too, finishing 8-of-14 from the field, 5-of-8 from downtown and 4-of-4 at the line, doing so in only 24 minutes thanks to a bit of foul trouble.

Garden City never trailed, scoring the first seven points, which included an early Neves 3-pointer. Smith's triples stretched the lead to 15-7 five minutes in, Justis Odom hit a turnaround in the paint, and Donetria McGee hit a runner just below the dotted line for a 22-10 advantage after one. They pushed that to as high as 15 early in the second on Derryana Cobbins' line-drive jumper. They were up 11 at the half.

"We have to come to play every night," Scales said. "We addressed the free-throw issue at halftime, but I feel like we just didn't come ready to play."

The Trojans made their move in the third quarter. Evette Lansing rattled home a triple from the left wing, Ylenia Exposito Perez connected from 16 feet, and Mya Williams swished a midrange jumper to pull Trinidad State within five, 39-34 with 4:54 to play in the period. But that's as close as they would get the rest of the way. Neves answered with a three-point play, Odom hit two free throws, and the Broncbusters were up 11 going to the fourth.  

Smith finished 13-of-16 at the line for Garden City, which has beaten their five opponents by an average of 17 points. Neves recorded her second 20-point game in a Broncbuster uniform, and Ashton McCorry pulled down 10 rebounds.

Williams scored 16 for Trinidad State, which lost its third straight to drop to 1-7 overall.

Next up: Garden City at Lamar-Tuesday, Nov. 23-6 p.m.