GCHS Boys topple Wichita Southeast 94-86 in 2OT, advance to sub-state championship

Wichita, Kan. (westernkansasnews.com)–When one considers clutch moments in sports history, they often think of the big ones: Michael Jordan hitting the game winner in the 1998 NBA Finals, David Freese blasting a walk-off home run to center field to force game seven in the 2011 World Series, Patrick Mahomes engineering the legendary 13 second drive to send the Chiefs to an overtime that resulted in an AFC Championship berth in 2021, Mario Chalmers from deep in the 2008 NCAA National Championship to send the Kansas Jayhawks to overtime, Ty Zentner with the game winning field goal in overtime of the 2022 Big 12 Championship for Kansas State; the list goes on and on.

Locally, one might recall Ryder Carr jumping a route for a pick-six against Wichita Heights last football season to complete a 36-point comeback victory in regulation. Similarly, one might also recall Mackoy Hemmert drilling a three-ball last Friday with seconds remaining to force overtime in the regular season finale for Garden City High School boys’ basketball at Wichita Southeast. A moment that looked like it had all the possibility to be one of the more clutch baskets in GCHS basketball lore. That is, until Southeast hit a teardrop in the lane at the buzzer to win a stunner, 68-66. Yet, history has a funny way of working itself out, and it did Wednesday evening in cinematic fashion.

The radio call of the final 2:01 of regulation and the furious 16-3 run that forced OT

With 121 seconds remaining in the ballgame, down 71-58 with the season on the line, it was sophomore Mackoy Hemmert who uttered a line that will go down in the GCHS history books: “These guys haven’t played their last game.” It took a moment, but the coaches and players alike realized what Mackoy was intoning: “Our seniors aren’t losing tonight.” It was that sentiment that sparked the comeback.

Radio call of the first OT from Wichita Southeast

The Garden City radio broadcast described the effort as “Herculean,” an apt description of the serious predicament the Buffs found themselves in with mere moments left in the game and trailing by 13 points. But the basketball gods smiled on the Buffs Wednesday, and Garden City rallied to the tune of a 16-3 run to force an overtime appearance, against Wichita Southeast, on the same court where the Buffs had lost in heartbreaking fashion just days ago, and with the same players making monumental plays. Mackoy Hemmert, with less than ten seconds remaining, pulled up in the face of Southeast’s Jessie McCoy on the right wing, just across the key from where he had hit the game tying shot on Friday, and buried the triple to force overtime with only 4.4 seconds remaining. The parody of the moment was extraordinary, but the Garden City defense was able to hold on and make it to overtime without experiencing another heartbreaker.

Radio call of the second OT from Wichita Southeast

It was in those moments that the defense stood tall and senior Daniel Monarrez took control, ploughing through the second overtime with two triples of his own, a handful of free throws, and two makes at the line from Hemmert to ice the ballgame. Senior Jalen Jagels poured in a game-high 22 points and went a perfect 6-6 at the charity stripe to give the Buffs a chance late in the game. Hemmert would finish with 19 points, and the 2025-26 Buffs would etch their names into the local memory of Garden City as the team that would not go away, and would not let the seniors end their season on a loss to the team that bested them only five days previously.

Radio postgame interview with Coach Swedberg

The tenor of the bus ride back to Garden City was one of quiet elation, but more importantly, of sincere belief. Belief in the team, belief in the moment, and belief in the opportunity to do something special in the sub-state championship game on Saturday.

“You know, that’s probably one that’s going to stick with you for a while,” grinned Coach Swedberg in the postgame after his first postseason victory at the helm of GCHS Boys’ Basketball. “I don’t think that I have the words, really, to describe how proud I am of each of the guys tonight. The guys just amazed me tonight with their effort.”

The thrilling victory sets the stage for the Buffs (#10, 12-12) to continue to shock the world with a chance at a 6A state tournament appearance on the line and Wichita Heights (#2, 18-5) standing in the way. Tipoff between Heights and Garden City is slated for 5:00p on Saturday, March 7. Radio coverage begins with the American Implement Tipoff Show at 4:40p on 99.9 The Rock.