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Hall, Premer spark Panthers' 30-point victory
minton
Great Bend Panther Daxton Minton scores off a steal against Hutchinson. - photo by JIM MISUNAS Great Bend Tribune

BY JIM MISUNAS
jmisunas@gbtribune.com

HUTCHINSON  — Great Bend Panther Jacob Hall was happy to play his role on the Ian Premer recruiting road show that featured Oregon football coach Dan Lanning. 

Hall scored eight first-quarter points to jump start the Panthers en route to 16 points and a 3-pointer. Ian Premer scored 22 points with a pair of slam dunks. Ben Nicholson scored 11 of 13 points after halftime.

Great Bend outscored Hutchinson High 35-12 after halftime to trigger a running clock with a dominating 67-37 non-league basketball victory. The Salthawks converted 2 of 17 field goals after halftime.

Hall is the Panthers' glue guy, capable of scoring inside or outside with a superb passing touch and shooting skill. He's returned with a vengeance after missing several games with a broken nose.

"It feels good to come back. I was tired of watching," Hall said. "I'd say this was our best game, but we have more to come. We always want to have that fire every game. When we have it, everything goes really well. You go for playing that well every game." 

Defensively, the Panthers slowed down the Salthawks' offense with quickness and athleticism that shut down guard Terrell King (10 points) and leading scorer Taishawn Govain (8 points). The Panthers' defense held Hutchinson to 1 of 17 shots from 3-point range.

Great Bend basketball coach Kyle Kriegh matched the Panthers' athleticism with a giant leap of faith calling a timeout in the fourth quarter.

"It was a good test. I didn't think for a second about a running clock against a school with a rich basketball tradition," said Kriegh. "Our defense prevented layups and kept the basketball out of the paint. We've got high character guys who showed a lot of toughness tonight to play four complete quarters."

The No. 10 ranked 5A Panthers played their best basketball of the season by dominating the ballgame offensively and defensively.

"Our guys were ready to roll tonight with a total team effort," Kriegh said. "It's a luxury to have so many players contributing tonight. 

The Panthers shot better from the field (22 of 34, 65%) than the free throw stripe (22 of 36, 61%) after converting 13 of 24 first-half foul shots.

Offensively, the Panthers attacked the basket that produced 36 free throws and several inside baskets. 

Great Bend 17 15 16 19 —67

Hutchinson 11 14 4 8 —37

GREAT BEND (8-1)—Premer 8-12 (0-1) 6-15 22, Hall 5-7 (1-2) 5-6 16, Nicholson 3-8 (1-3) 6-6 13, Ohnmacht 1-2 (0-1) 2-2 4, Reed 3-3 1-4 7, Minton 2-2 0-1 4, Stroup 0-0 1-2 1, Totals 22-34 (2-7) 22-36 67

HUTCHINSON (4-2)—King 4-12 (0-3) 2-3 10, Taishaun Govain 4-8 0-2 8, Kepler 1-9 (1-5) 3-4 6, Lamar Govain 2-4 3-4 6, Walker (0-4) 0-0 0, Boone 0-4 (0-2) 3-4 3, Crable 1-7 (0-3) 2, Whitt 0-0 2-2 2, Totals 12-48 (1-17) 13-18 37

HUTCHINSON GIRLS 53, GREAT BEND 22 — Hutchinson High's girls started the game scoring on one of the Salthawks' first 23 offensive possessions to trail Great Bend 9-3. The Panthers made 3 of 9 field goals with nine turnovers while the Salthawks started 1 of 14 from the field.

"We got after it defensively," said Great Bend coach Jade Winter. "Our start shows the girls they're capable of focusing and not allow them any second-chance points." 

Despite 5 of 26 first-half shooting, the Salthawks led 17-12 at halftime. The Panthers converted 5 of 21 field goals and committed 14 turnovers to waste a brilliant first-half defensive effort.

After trailing 9-3, the Salthawks outscored the Panthers 34-3 for a 37-12 lead. Hutchinson got rolling with a 32-point third quarter behind five 3-pointers. Kaia Smith led the offense with 22 points and four 3-pointers. Grace Posch contributed 13 points and a trio of 3-pointers. The Salthawks converted 10 of 25 shots from 3-point range to outscore the Panthers 30-3 

"We knew they'd make some shots," Winter said. "But you have to keep playing." 

Alyssa McCauley led the Panthers with seven points. Cassie Ellegood added six points. Great Bend made 6 of 36 field goals (17%). McCauley ended Hutchinson's 34-3 scoring run with a 3-pointer.

"You never know how the game will be called, but our team needs to play stronger with the basketball," Winter said.

Great Bend 7 5 5 5 —22

Hutchinson 3 14 32 4 — 53

GREAT BEND (3-6) (FG 3 FT TP)—McCauley 3-9 (1-4) 0-1 7, Ellegood 1-9 4-5 6, Bryant 1-4 2-6 4, Meredith Mazouch 1-5 1-2 3, Reimer 0-2 0-0 0, Prendergast 0-1 1-2 1, Mayers 0-2 1-2 1, Katherine Mazouch 0-3 (0-1) 0, Minton 0-1 0-0 0, Totals 6-36 (1-5) 9-18 22

HUTCHINSON (5-1) (FG 3 FT TP)—Smith 7-14 (4-9) 4-5 22, Posch 4-12 (3-7) 2-2 13, Alvarez 2-4 (2-3) 0-0 6, Ontjes (1-2) 0-0 3, Keeten 3-7 (0-2) 1-2 7, Krone 0-5 0-2 0, Rodriguez 0-3 (0-1) 0-0 0, Craft 1-1 0-0 2, John (0-1) 0-0 0, Totals 18-49 (10-25) 6-11 53

WAC BOYS

Great Bend 2-0 8-1

Hays High 2-0 4-4

Dodge City 1-0 4-5

Garden City 1-2 3-7

Liberal 0-4 2-8

1-14—Garden City 69, Liberal 61; Emporia 41, Hays High 36

1-16—Cheney 73, Dodge City 24

1-17—Great Bend 67 Hutchinson 37; Hays High 69, Garden City 50; Dodge City 81, Liberal 53

GREAT BEND (8-1, 2-0)—W Salina South 71-44; Kingman Classic (W Sterling 62-61; W Clearwater 69-22; L Haven 41-53); W Emporia 56-49; W Pratt 59-46;  W*Liberal 89-42; W *Garden City 71-60;  W Hutchinson 67-37; 1-23/25—at Salina Tournament; 1-28—at Hays TMP; 1-31—*Hays High;  2-7—*Liberal; 2-11—*Dodge City; 2-14—*at Garden City; 2-21—*at Dodge City; 2-25—Hesston; 2-28—*at Hays High

HAYS HIGH (4-4, 2-0)—W Newton 48-43; W Hugoton 47-45; L BV Northwest 42-63; L 32-50 Junction City; L Manhattan 57-60; W Liberal 70-34; L Emporia 36-41; W *Garden City 69-50; 1-20—Wichita Independent; 1-23/25—at Colby Tournament; 1-31—*at Great Bend; 2-4—Wichita Sunrise;  2-7—*Dodge City; 2-11—at McPherson; 2-14—*Liberal; 2-21—*Garden City; 2-25—*at Dodge City; 2-28—*Great Bend

DODGE CITY (4-5, 1-0)—L McPherson 56-69; W Manhattan 57-56; L Junction City 49-81; L Woodward, Okla. 58-91; L Lakin 58-68; W Woodward, Okla. 83-79; W Garden Plain 66-63; L Cheney 24-73; W *Liberal 81-53; 1-23/25—Dodge City Tournament; 1-31—Alva, Okla.; 2-4—*at Garden City; 2-7—*at Hays High; 2-11—*Great Bend; 2-18—*Garden City; 2-21—*Great Bend; 2-25—*Hays High; 2-27—*at Liberal

GARDEN CITY (3-7, 1-2)—W Coronado, Colo. 53-31; L Liberty Colo. 47-67; L Palmer Ridge, Colo. 53-59; W Coronado, Colo. 61-56; L Altus, Okla. 50-67; L Scott City 62-64 OT; L Hooker, Okla. 52-77; L *Great Bend 60-71; W *Liberal 69-61; L *Hays High 50-69; 1-23-25—at Valley Center Tournament; 2-4—*Dodge City; 2-7—at Woodward, Okla.; 2-14—*Great Bend; 2-15—Lakin; 2-18—*at Dodge City; 2-21—*at Hays High; 2-25—*at Liberal

LIBERAL (2-8, 0-4)—W Rye, Colo. 69-47; L Emporia 18-71; W Elk, Okla. 46-38; L *Hays High 34-70; L Yukon, Okla. 42-79; L Hugoton 32-64; L *Great Bend 42-89; L Woodward, Okla. 47-69; L *Garden City 61-69; L *Dodge City 53-81; 1-23/25—at Tonganoxie Tournament; 1-31—Woodward, Okla.; 2-4—Hooker, Okla.; 2-7—*at Great Bend; 2-11—Lakin; 2-14—*at Hays High; 2-25—*Garden City; 2-27—*Dodge City

WAC GIRLS

Hays High 2-0 8-0

Liberal 3-1 6-4

Garden City 1-2 6-4

Dodge City 0-1 1-7

Great Bend 0-2 3-6

1-14—Liberal 44, Garden City 41; Hays High 66, Emporia 12

1-16—Cheney 54, Dodge City 18

1-17—Hutchinson 53, Great Bend 22; Hays High 63, Garden City 21; Liberal 57, Dodge City 31

HAYS HIGH (7-0, 1-0)—Hays (W Newton 67-29; W Hugoton 54-12; W Wichita Life 63-56); W *Liberal 77-50; W Junction City 79-20; W Manhattan 56-48; W Emporia 66-12; W *Garden City 63-21; 1-20—Wichita Independent; 1-23/25—at Colby Tournament; 1-31—*at Great Bend; 2-4—Wichita Sunrise;  2-7—*Dodge City; 2-11—at McPherson; 2-14—*Liberal; 2-21—*Garden City; 2-25—*at Dodge City; 2-28—*Great Bend

LIBERAL (5-4, 2-1)—W Bennett, Colo. 53-10; W Emporia 60-25; L *Hays High 50-77; L Elk City, Okla. 38-59; L Woodward, Okla. 44-45; W Hugoton 65-46; W *Great Bend 73-44; L Woodward, Okla. 58-68; W *Garden City 44-41; L *Dodge City 57-31; 1-23/25—at Tonganoxie Tournament; 1-31—Woodward, Okla.; 2-4—Hooker, Okla.; 2-7—*at Great Bend; 2-11—Lakin; 2-14—*at Hays High; 2-25—*Garden City; 2-27—*Dodge City

GARDEN CITY (6-3, 1-1)—W Coronado, Colo. 53-7; L Liberty Colo. 42-46; W Palmer Ridge, Colo. 37-35; W Coronado, Colo. 54-11; W Altus, Okla. 62-55; W Scott City 50-36; L Hooker, Okla. 30-55; W *Great Bend 57-26; L *Liberal 41-44; L *Hays High 21-63; 1-23-25—at Valley Center Tournament; 2-4—*Dodge City; 2-7—at Woodward, Okla.; 2-14—*Great Bend; 2-15—Lakin; 2-18—*at Dodge City; 2-21—*at Hays High; 2-25—*at Liberal

DODGE CITY (1-7, 0-1)—L McPherson 41-60; L Manhattan 22-66; W Junction City 67-22; L Woodward, Okla. 25-40; L Lakin 31-38; L Woodward, Okla. 24-50; L Garden Plain 36-48; L Cheney 18-54; L *Liberal 31-57; 1-23/25—Dodge City Tournament; 1-31—Alva, Okla.; 2-4—*at Garden City; 2-7—*at Hays High; 2-11—*Great Bend; 2-18—*Garden City; 2-21—*Great Bend; 2-25—*Hays High; 2-27—*at Liberal

GREAT BEND (3-6, 0-2)—L Salina South 20-57; Kingman Classic (W Sterling 54-36; W Clearwater 35-30; L Haven 27-61); W Emporia 31-21; W Pratt 21-40; L *Liberal 44-73; L *Garden City 26-57;  L Hutchinson 22-53; 1-23/25—at Salina Tournament; 1-28—at Hays TMP; 1-31—*Hays High;  2-7—*Liberal; 2-11—*Dodge City; 2-14—*at Garden City; 2-21—*at Dodge City; 2-25—Hesston; 2-28—*at Hays High