JUCO Playoffs: Dean Rises To Task
SALINA, Kan. -- For a half, Garden City hung with Seward County at the Region VI quarterfinals on Sunday night.
But the Saints' big men, and particularly sophomore forward Dontaz Dean, rose to the occasion in the second half as the Saints pulled away for a 70-52 victory over the Broncbusters.
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Trailing by five points late in the first half, a critical double technical call seemed to turn the tide of the game. The Saints scored the last four points of the first half and the first 11 points of the second half for a 15-0 run that blew the game wide open in their favor.
A pair of free throws by Dean and a three point play by freshman forward Devonne Giles capped the burst that saw Seward open a commanding 36-26 lead with 18:19 to play.
"They just wore us out physically," said Garden City Head Coach Jeremy Cox. "They beat us in every phase of the game."
Dean finished with 29 points and seven rebounds, and was dominant in the second half as the Saints shot 48 percent from the field in the second half. Giles added 12 points and 12 rebounds, while sophomore guard Steve Alexander tallied seven points, 11 rebounds and four assists in the win.
Freshman guard Dandrick Jones, who was particularly effective in the first half, collected 13 points and was the only Broncbuster player to hit double figures.
Jones' three pointer with 1:06 left in the first half gave Garden City a short-lived 26-21 lead. The Saints' 15-0 run that bridged the two halves doused any hopes of a Broncbuster upset.
Seward was the top seed in the Jayhawk West and was considered one of the favorites to win the regional tournament. On Tuesday, the Saints will face Hutchinson C.C. in a semifinal tilt.