BY JIM MISUNAS
jmisunas@gbtribune.com

GARDEN CITY — It's quite a challenge to shoot a basketball and see it get stuck between the rim and the basket. The Great Bend Panthers accomplished that feat twice, first by Cal Dunekack and then by Cayden Scheuerman.

However, there are no bonus points for trick shots.

Garden City's boys delivered most of the theatrics in a dominating 58-38 Western Athletic Conference basketball victory Thursday over the short-handed Panthers. Buffalo Chris Grant soared for a gorgeous slam dunk off a perfect pass by Isaac Flores for the game's highlight play. 

Garden City dominated play after trailing 8-2 when Great Bend's Sage Koelsch and Stefan Spray converted 3-pointers and Koelsch added an opening 2-pointer. The Buffaloes finished the quarter with a 12-0 scoring burst. They finished the half on another 10-2 scoring burst for a 30-18 halftime lead. Flores did his damage with 15 points, 13 in the first half.

The Buffaloes' quick transition game converted 14 first-half Panther turnovers into 16 points.

"When we take care of the basketball, we can play defense in the half-court," said Great Bend coach Tim Brooks. "When you turn it over, you're not able to set up your defense. Their pressure bothered us and we turned it over quite a bit."

Koelsch converted 3 of 4 3-pointers to score 11 first-half points. Stefan Spray made a pair of 3-pointers and scored 10 points. But the other Panthers misfired from 3-point range with a collective 1 of 16 from long range. Great Bend made 6 of 24 from 3-point range.

The Panthers (4-11, 1-4 WAC) played without starter Joseph Moeder and supersub Paco Hernandez, who are both sidelined with season-ending injuries. Great Bend is scheduled to return home Tuesday against Hays-TMP and Dodge City Feb. 19.

The Panthers exhibit a battling spirit, but lacked the sheer talent to compete against the Buffaloes. The Panthers won the first meeting 39-38 on a late-game basket. Cal Dunekack returned after missing time from an injury.

"Cal's out there fighting, giving us what he can," Brooks said. "They are fighting and scrapping. That's all we can ask."

Tae Rosales scored 13 points and Chris Grant and Aaron Guevara each scored eight points for Garden City (8-5 , 2-3 WAC). 

Point guard Isaac Flores directed the Buffaloes' offense.

“Isaac is doing a good job of getting us into our offense,” said Garden City coach Jacy Holloway. “Defensively, we've stepped it up a notch. We’ve been able to pressure the ball better and create turnovers. We didn’t give up as many easy shots. It’s an area where we can still have improvement.”

Great Bend 10 8 8 12 — 38

Garden City 14 16 15 13 — 58

GREAT BEND (4-11, 1-4)—Koelsch 4-7 0-0 11, Spray 4-9 0-0 10, Sam Hall 3-6 2-3 8, Scheuerman 2-6 0-0 4, Streck 1-5 0-0 3, Dunekack 1-6 0-0 2, Council 0-4 0-0 0, Totals 15-43 2-3 38

GARDEN CITY (8-5, 2-3)—Flores 6-7 1-1 15, Rosales 5-13 3-3 13, Guevara 4-6 0-0 8, Grant 3-10 2-4 8, Wiese 1-2 3-4 5, Metzen 2-3 0-0 4, Tolbert 1-3 0-0 3, Nuzum 1-3 0-0 2, Steinmetz 0-1 0-0 0, Totals 23-48 9-12 58

3-pointers—GB 6-24 (Koelsch 3-4, Spray 2-4, Streck 1-5, Hall 0-1, Council 0-3, Scheuerman 0-3, Dunekack 0-4); GC 3-14 (Flores 2-2, Tolbert 1-3, Steinmetz 0-1, Grant 0-2, Rosalez 0-6)

WESTERN ATHLETIC BOYS

Hays High 5-0 15-0

Dodge City 3-1 9-5

Garden City 2-3 8-5

Liberal 1-4 5-10

Great Bend 1-4 4-11

2-12—Hooker, Okla. at Liberal; Hays at Colby 

2-11—Garden City 58, Great Bend 38

2-9—Buhler 62, Great Bend 41;  Guymon, Okla. 57, Liberal 47

2-5—Liberal 51, Great Bend 41; Hays High 44, Dodge City 38; Garden City 47, Guymon, Okla. 33

HAYS HIGH (5-0, 15-0)—Hays (W Hugoton 77-55; W Wichita Life 71-39; W Hays-TMP 70-42); W Hoisington 64-63; W *Liberal 62-34; W *Liberal 72-45; W *Great Bend 51-24; W *Garden City 64-42; Colby (W Ulysses 76-35; W GC 64-42; W Colby 56-47); 1-26 W Pratt 74-29; W Salina Central 47-46; W Scott City 57-35; W *Dodge City 44-38; 2-12 at Colby; 2-16 at Abilene; 2-19 *at Garden City; 2-23 *at Dodge City; 2-26 *Great Bend 

DODGE CITY (3-1, 9-5)—L Maize 35-75; W Newton 67-34; Goodland Tournament (L Lakin 71-72; W Nickerson 64-48; W McCook, Neb. 55-50); L McPherson 39-56; W Colby 69-47; W Guymon, Okla. 50-31; W *Liberal 76-65; Dodge City (L Junction City 48-52; W Goddard Eisenhower 50-37); W *Great Bend 56-37; W *Garden City 53-36; L *Hays High 38-44; 2-8 at Ulysses, ppd.; 2-16 *Garden City; 2-19 *at Great Bend; 2-23 *Hays High; 2-25 *at Liberal

GARDEN CITY (2-3, 8-5)—L *Great Bend 38-39; L Kearney, Neb. 53-80; W *Liberal 71-54; L *Hays; W Guymon, Okla.57-55, OT Colby (W Goodland 39-33; L Hays 42-64; W Beloit 61-48); W Ulysses 62-42; L *Dodge City 36-53; W Guymon, Okla. 47-33; W Guymon, Okla. 61-40; W *Great Bend 58-38; 2-16 *at Dodge City; 2-19 *Hays High; 2-23 *at Liberal

LIBERAL (1-4, 5-10)—W Colby 49-47; L Holcomb 46-59; L Wichita Trinity 53-72; W Scott City 53-28; L Hays High 34-62; L *Hays High 45-72; L *Garden City 54-71; L *Dodge City 65-76; Salina South (L Salina South 39-51; W Concordia 43-42; L Buhler 52-66); L Gruver, Okla. 48-54; W Guymon, Okla. 52-49; W *Great Bend 51-41; L Guymon, Okla. 47-57; 2-12 Hooker, Okla.; 2-16 at Hugoton; 2-20  *Great Bend; 2-23 *Garden City; 2-25 *Dodge City

GREAT BEND (1-4, 4-11)—W Scott City 51-45; L Holcomb 34-46; L Junction City 40-70; W Larned 52-24; L Emporia 52-41; W *Garden City 39-38; L *Hays High 24-51; L Hutchinson High 40-50; Bluestem (L Goddard 37-45; L Kapaun 36-66; W WWest 41-37); L * Dodge City 37-56; L *Liberal 41-51; L Buhler 41-62; L * Garden City 38-58; 2-16 Hays-TMP; 2-19 *Dodge City; 2-20 * at Liberal; 2-26 *at Hays High