HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Kam Thomas missed the final two games of the regular season, but returned for the postseason, and boy did he step up on Tuesday evening. The sophomore buried a long basket to give No. 16 Hutchinson an 88-87 overtime win over Garden City in the Region VI Tournament quarterfinal at the Sports Arena.
The Blue Dragons improve to 26-5 overall and will play No. 11 Cowley on Friday in the semifinal at 7:30 p.m. inside the Sports Arena.
Hutchinson jumped out to a 14-1 lead early in the first half. Garden City didn't score their first field goal of the game until just over the 14-minute mark.
The Broncbusters started chipping away at the Hutchinson lead and pulled within 22-21 at the under-8 minute media timeout. Garden City went on a 17-3 run to build a 38-25 lead with just under three minutes to go in the first half.
Garden City took a 41-33 lead into the halftime break.
Hutchinson continued to trail through most of the second half, but continued to fight. Landon Wagler helped pull Hutchinson within one with just over eight minutes to play.
The Broncbusters led 72-67 at the final media timeout with 3:04 to play in regulation.
Kernan Bundy then stepped up, knocking down a runner to pull within three with 1:34 to play. Bundy then scored another basket to pull Hutch within 74-71 with 32 seconds to play.
That is when Bundy stepped up with the biggest shot of his Blue Dragon career, draining a 3-pointer from 25-plus feet out to tie the game at 74 with six seconds to play.
Garden City had a chance out of the timeout, but a missed layup by Thomas Tut sent the game to overtime.
The two teams shared leads back-and-forth in the overtime period, with neither team able to create any separation.
Thomas hit a layup to pull the Blue Dragons within one with 18 seconds left in the extra period, before hitting the game-winner 17 seconds later.
Thomas finished with 20 points and nine rebounds. J.P. Ricks added 12 points, while Valentino Simon, Wagler and Bundy all finished with 11 points.
Garden City was led by Tut and Brody Robinson with 22 points each.